Why Mind Games Never Work
by gNatRat
Summary: People are pairing up right and left and 5th year Ginny Weasley equals booty call to Draco Malfoy, but as she resists his manly charms he finds her more interesting than before. What happens when he falls for his own mind games? NEW CHAPPIE READ IT!
1. Mistakes One Should Never Repeat

**Title: Why Mind Games Never Work**

**Main Characters: Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, the Golden Trio, an assortment of new charas.**

**Disclaimer: So there was this one time when this one lady wrote a book. And it so wasn't me.**

**Summary: People are pairing up right and left and 5th year Ginny Weasley equals booty call to Draco Malfoy, but as she resists his manly charms he finds her more interesting than before. What happens when he falls for his own mind games? Ginny's fifth year. **

Chapter One: Mistakes One Should Never Repeat

The bag was heavy, very heavy. And under it was a fragile body trying to hold it up. Ginny Weasley only hoped that her feet wouldn't collapse beneath her as she walked down the long train passageway. After meandering back and forth Hogsmeade about eight times waiting for the train to arrive, Ginny's feet were aching in the worst places.

She had knocked on a few sliding doors, hoping one was vacant. But instead her knocks were returned with obscene words that in short told her to sod off.

She was close to growling, her patience whittled down to nothing and her hope almost wiped out like a flame with no air as she knocked on the next door. There was silence. Had she heard that correctly? Checking, she knocked again and when no reply came she thrust open the door in relief, a huge weight lifting from the pits of her stomach.

At first everything seemed relatively all right, nothing too out of place, maybe a bit messy but all was fine, at that time anything would do.

But that weight soon returned, quickly. In the dim light she was unable to make out the face but there was clearly someone in the bed provided, sleeping. She felt her cheeks light up as Rudolph's nose would have in the old Muggle tales in embarrassment of intruding.

And to make matters worse there was a Slytherin robe tossed over the, also, provided chair.

She quieted her panting though she couldn't quiet the sound of her heart pounding in her ears as turned to leave, her mind racing with the fear of the form awaking. She was halfway through the entry, the finish line so clear in the distance when a hand grasped her shoulder and turned her about, shaking her loose of her hopeful reverie and revealing a very unhappy Draco Malfoy. "What in bloody hell are you doing in here?" He barked.

His silver eyes were stormy and Ginny's breath caught in her throat with fear.

She blinked a few times, first unaware that her feet had stopped moving, and still in shell shock from the abrupt startle. The towering form in front of her was far too sinister for her to ignore and regain composure in front of.

"I….I….I….I…." She tried to explain but failed as her mind quickly noted, drop large bag, insert foot in mouth.

She was getting the undeniable urge to indeed, drop all she held, and then dart for the nearest exit from the train.

Even if it did mean plummeting a good hundred feet before rolling down a mountainside to a painful and terribly bloody death.

"You have no right to be in here you filthy weasel!" He snarled and shoved her out the door, slamming it shut.

Ginny stood there, frozen, for seconds which drug on like hours. Her chest rose and fell spasmodically as she looked about, seeing if anyone had witnessed the incident that had nearly put her into cardiac arrest.

After regaining whatever composure she had left from the scare, she spent minutes more searching for an empty room until finally she found Hermione in one alone.

"Where're Ron and Harry?" Ginny inquired, setting her load down on the bed and settling herself beside Hermione on the small couch.

Her hands were still sweaty as her adrenaline rushed through her body creating another urge, this one to run for cover in case Malfoy had called up his goons to search for and kill her. She looked to Hermione and raised an eyebrow, trying to keep herself calm as her breath was still erratic.

"Merlin only knows." Hermione said with a shrug and a sigh.

It was hard not to see the disappointment in her eyes as her mind obviously pounced upon another subject. "I can't find anyone now-a-days. You know I wrote him over the summer and NOTHING! Not one owl in reply!" Hermione exclaimed, a tinge of pain in her tone. It was evident to Ginny, now, why her friend seemed in such a sour mood.

She and Seamus had been dating since about a month before school ended and she was damn near obsessed with him, not that he was complaining to the public anyways.

Ever since, Hermione had become a devoted pen pal and pined over him being away and all. Truth be told, the two were a very adorable couple to say the least.

In fact, they were now widely known throughout Gryffindor as "one of the cutest couples" out of about three that had lasted longer then about two weeks.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ginny nodded.

Not wanting to keep Hermione stuck on that situation, she turned to the girl and then added, "I ran into an awkward situation just a minute ago with _Malfoy_."

Ginny whispered in a quickened voice as she recounted what all had happened to the eagerly listening Hermione. As the story went on it seemed that between regular intervals Hermione would either raise her eyebrows or mutter something incoherently.

"Oh, my." Hermione nodded once Ginny had completed her gruesome tale.

Ginny followed suit in agreement.

It was a very awkward situation, and although Malfoy had been screaming in her face, his ferocity at full blow, it didn't take away from the fact that he had been shirtless. And Ginny had gotten a glimpse of his muscled chest and abs.

"At least he remembered you as a Weasley!" Hermione exclaimed, the optimist she was. Ginny gave her a meek smile and then shook her head.

"So he wouldn't waste his time knocking the wrong person!" Ginny retorted quickly after.

No matter how Hermione tried to lighten the situation, Ginny had been scared witless for seconds on end by Malfoy and it wasn't very nice being there with him yelling at her. If it were up to her she just wouldn't be around him at all.

It was all too embarrassing to be humiliated in front of your sworn enemy. Ginny let out a sigh. "I have a feeling I'm going to hate this year." She muttered as she fell onto the couch, her head on Hermione's shoulder. "What do you think?"

Hermione shrugged lightly, as to not hurtle her friends head off, and began to stroke the red hair in a motherly fashion. "It's not like I can see the future or anything." She said almost regretfully, it was tough for her to admit that she wasn't one of the best tea-leaf readers out of the school. "But while we're on the subject, what major do you want this year, hmm?" Hermione's eyebrows raised and she gave Ginny an interested look.

Ginny thought for a moment.

It was her fifth year as a matter of fact.

She did need to pick something she wanted to major in for the tests and all. She groaned lightly.

It was all too confusing in the end.

Why didn't they just give you the same classes and then decide for themselves what you were best at? It would make things so much easier for those unwilling to sacrifice brain power to ponder on the subject.

"Well, I was thinking potions since I'm one of the best students Professor Snape has ever seen, but Herbology is around there." Hermione nodded in affirmation but shook her head in disbelief afterwards, obviously still stuck on the Seamus subject.

With a smile Ginny looked up to Hermione. "I can't believe he hasn't talked to you yet. How could he not?" Ginny asked. She was glad to see a familiar warm smile come back to Hermione's features.

"Because he's daft that's why!" She exclaimed and they shared a laugh.

Three quarters of an hour passed as they talked about random things.

They would get started on one subject and there would be something to remind them of something else which would lead them to a completely off the topic comment that they ran a completely new conversation off of.

Entirely too entertaining some might say, but for them it was a way to pass the time and worked!

They were almost through a story Ginny was telling about how over the summer Fred and George had almost blown up her mother's garden being utter imbeciles, when the sliding door opened and Harry and Ron stumbled in with a pile of candy in each of their robes.

"Afternoon all, miss us much?" Harry laughed and shoved a jelly bean into his mouth.

His smile which had been stretching from ear to ear it seemed, changed to a fish look as the sourness of the bean took over his taste buds. "Bloody hell!" He exclaimed waving at his mouth frantically and almost spitting the thing out.

The others burst out into laughter as he did this and they all settled down.

Time passed and soon Harry's crown was relinquished to Ron who had made a fool of himself by letting out a chocolate frog then sitting on it whilst searching for the thing.

That left Ginny and Hermione holding their sides as tears welled up in their eyes. "THAT'S HILARIOUS RON!" Ginny exclaimed as she let out a string of laughter.

"Yeah, for you it is!" He retorted, his brow furrowing and his cheeks pinking up in embarrassment.

At this Hermione only laughed harder to the point where she began to choke on not getting enough air in.

At this, Harry joined in the laughter and soon Ron had to give up and admit that his being clumsy was indeed hilarious.

The group later settled down and finished off the candy telling summer stores to each other. Harry's were more or less left to himself since that summer he spent half his time at the Dursley's and half at the OotP headquarters.

Therefore, most of his stories were about Moody and the others. Though he didn't say it aloud at all, it was evident to the other three that he was still shaken by what had happened to Sirius, they all were.

There was a moment of silence once the conversation had died down rather uncomfortably before someone came over the loud speaker announcing their near arrival to Hogwarts.

Hermione and Ron let out long sighs as they stood.

It was their duty to go about and tell people to get their things together, get their robes on, and make sure not to kill one another, that sort of thing.

After they left it was Harry and Ginny in the compartment alone. This made it all the more awkward as both were not entirely accustomed to dead silence, what with being close relation to Ron who talked most of the time about nonsense.

Ginny was searching for topics to converse over, and knowing Sirius was a touchy subject, she didn't even think to consider bringing it up. Instead she looked over at Harry who was gazing out the window with a hurt look in his eyes.

She knew he was thinking about Sirius by the way he sat, his back all straight, like he was trying to make his godfather proud. Ginny felt so bad for him that she stood from her current place and moved to sit beside him.

Harry turned his head toward her in confusion and she let her head rest on his shoulder, her arms somewhat encircling him in a warm, sisterly embrace. "I miss him too." She whispered into his shoulder and looked up to see Harry smile a little.

It was good to see the boy smile once and while. With a sigh he nodded and shifted his arm to wrap about her. Only on rare occasions were they left to bond with each other but all the same, they could already read the other like a book.


	2. Running Into People Literally, Tsk

Chapter Two: Running Into People Literally, Tsk

"And congratulations to all the first years, thank you for being so co-operative this year and we will see you all tomorrow for classes!" Announced Professor Dumbledore after the sorting (which now took place AFTER the meal so the onslaught of flying food was nonexistent that year), by this, the years prior after the first years had been sorted they had magical food fights which were much worse than Muggle as the food would periodically spring to life and eat other foods. This brought the change in events; a new table specifically for all the first years had been added. The students loudly filed out of the room.

Ginny looked about the crowd until she had joined up with a few of her outer-house as well as inner-house friends on the way. "Gins!" She heard behind her and she turned.

There was Annabella (Ravenclaw), Maria (Hufflepuff as well as the only American in the group), Jessica, (also a Hufflepuff), and Diana, (a Gryffindor transfer from Russia, even though she didn't have a Russian accent).

Ginny smiled and waved goodbye to Hermione, Ron and Harry. She turned back to her friends and her eyes widened with surprise as she saw Annabella's new haircut.

"My god it's all gone!" Ginny giggled with the other girls as Anna's new hair-do lightly brushed her shoulders.

"It's not ugly is it?" She asked in hopes of not losing her beauty.

Anna was a gorgeous girl and unless she shaved her head, there was nothing she needed to worry about.

Ginny and the others shook their heads and laughed at a few stories from the summer as they made their way up the winding steps.

Ginny was in mid listening as Jessica was going on about how her brother had lost his broom… in a broom closet, when Ginny hit something very hard and toppled backwards into Diana.

"What the bloody….?" She heard from above her and looked up in fear of the familiarity of the cold, heartless … slimy tone.

Yes, it was. But why? "Weasley." Snape said sourly as he looked down at the girl. She could feel the color leave her face as snickering echoed in the corner of the hall.

Snape's head twisted to look at the group of boys. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were all huddled together laughing over the recent accident.

"Find that funny?" He asked with a cocked head.

Ginny knew Snape liked her better then Harry. Ever since Harry had been taken in by the whole group of the Order, Ginny had helped her mother clean up the house and she and Snape actually acted civil around each other. In fact on occasion they had intelligent conversations whenever he was reading one of his snooty magazines and she was washing dishes.

That's probably why she was doing so well in his class. She had become accustomed to his style, his preferences scientifically. It was as if she knew what he was going to teach. It was creepy. That's also why she got tons less detentions.

That of course didn't end the entire "fear Snape" attitude and his snappiness towards her. He hated her being in Gryffindor. She was one of his best students, she knew he knew that, but she also knew that he was disappointed in her background.

It was almost like he wanted to adopt her from a third world country. This wasn't funny because her family had been compared to one.

Malfoy shook his head and smirked evilly over at the gaggle of females. "Sorry Professor. It's just that usually I look where I'm walking; it's odd to see houses walk differently. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be some of the bright ones." He laughed again, receiving chuckles from his comrades.

Snape scowled. "Interesting, since Miss Weasley's average was higher then yours was." He looked back to Ginny and then to Malfoy. "Watch yourself Draco; you don't need to lower yourself to insults. That's not the way society acts." Snape added and with a turn he slipped away, his robes billowing out behind him.

Ginny waited a moment before letting out a deep breath.

"He creeps me out ya'll." Maria said with a wary look in her eyes, her Georgian accent thick even after four months of Britain. There was another echo of laughter as Draco let out a snicker and Crabbe and Goyle followed suit.

Maria sneered at him and he cackled darkly.

"Sod off Malfoy." Ginny snapped.

Well it would've been a snap had she not stuttered halfway through. Draco smirked even more and fought back a laugh.

Ginny backed up a little but did her best to hold her ground. To this Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be following Potter around with his other groupies?" He snarled much like earlier. Ginny shivered in return.

"Lay off Malfoy, we're not interested in starting anything." Anna jumped in.

But as Malfoy sent a glance in her direction, she too backed away from his foreboding body. Or at least the fact that Goyle was breathing on her which would make anyone try to run. Draco nodded to the staircase to the Slytherin dorms. Crabbe and Goyle left sending wary glances to their ringleader.

Draco turned back to Ginny and leaning in close hissed into her ear, "Don't make a teacher say that to me ever again."

Ginny swallowed harshly. "Whi-Which part?" She stuttered.

"The part about you ever being better then me." He snapped and walked on, leaving Ginny wide eyed and dumbfounded.

She turned back to her fellow fifth years and wielded a small squeal of unsure confusion and fear. Blinking a few times she allowed herself to breath.

"Oh my god." She panted and shook her head. "That was scary as hell." She groaned and her friends nodded in unison. Maria taking her arm, they all made their way up the stairs. All the while Ginny was going over the previous occurrence in her mind.

Had she just imagined him shirtless again as he was yelling at her?

Was she going nuts?

Was she falling into 'like' with Draco Malfoy's exceptionally toned body?

Was she crazy?

What would she tell anyone if they found out?

Who would find out?

"GINNY!" Ginny snapped awake as Diana rolled her eyes.

"Finally! I've been calling your name for around five minutes! We're here, hurry up and get inside before we get snitched at by McGonagall!" She smirked and they walked in through the statue and into the commons room, the others walking off down the hall to their own dorms.

Inside were the familiar velvety, red chairs and the large bookcases with the enormous fireplace. She smiled; this was more like it, instead of those cold halls and large staircases and scary teachers.

Sitting down in one of the chairs beside the window, she took note of the commotion going on about her.

This year was going to be quite stressful and yet so, so interesting to her. But the tests… Oh the tests. She sighed and bowed her head. Damn the tests, yes, damn the tests to hell!


	3. Making a Fool of One's Self Is Healthy R...

Chapter Three: Making a Fool of One's Self Is Healthy Right?

She knew she was asleep, that wasn't hard to tell since nothing around her was real.

Nothing she saw could've possibly been real. But how could she be having a dream that wasn't real and she knew it, was that even possible?

She moaned under her breath as her shoulder was nudged again.

"For goodness sakes Weasley, rise and shine!" Came a familiar voice from her subconscious.

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Harry Potter leaning over the chair, shaking her harshly. "Good, you're awake. Come on, you need to get ready for class!" He exclaimed.

Ginny's eyes shot open and she looked around.

The commons room was quite full for the Gryffindor commons, five people at least were in there, which for Gryffindors who were normally out doing something, was a lot.

"What?" She looked around again. "Oh bugger!" She claimed, jumping from the chair and dashing to where she knew her room was, she had found it last night BEFORE she had fallen asleep.

She rushed into the room and changed quickly into her robes, brushing through her hair in amazing speed, having it still come out straight, but a little frizzy at the top.

She grabbed a ponytail holder and her books which, anal as she was, she had prepared the night before and set beside her nightstand.

With an exaggerated sigh she was out the door in five minutes flat.

Harry's eyes widened a great deal. "Wow." He mouthed looking her over. "And you don't have any toilet paper sticking out your rear then?" He asked, walking around her with a smile and squinted eyes.

"What in bloody hell are you talking about Potter?" Ginny questioned, looking about herself.

Was there something on her that wasn't supposed to be?

Did she look okay?

Her hair was fine wasn't it?

She didn't have a hole in the back of her shirt did she?

"I mean you were in and out so quick, wanted to make sure you didn't break anything."

Ginny gave him a questionable look.

After explaining that she wasn't as clumsy as Ron and that all her possessions and furniture were still in tact Harry let out a laugh. "Bones, Ginny, I meant I was making sure you hadn't broken any BONES!"

Ginny looked at him for a moment before blinking and laughing embarrassedly. "Oh, right…. Bones."

She feigned a laugh and then smiled as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

Great way to start off a day, Weasley. She thought to herself as she shook her head in utter disbelief at her early morning stupidity and followed Harry out of the room and downstairs so she could get going to her class.

"How… how long had you been trying to wake me up, Harry?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, looking up at the dark haired boy.

He shrugged and laughed, looking down at the considerably shorter counterpart.

Ginny hated being so short. It seemed like when she got into fourth year she stopped growing because she hadn't been embarrassed ENOUGH.

Like that was possible.

"Not long, I only yelled out your name into your ear ten times before starting to shake you at the same time." He snorted back his laughter, which failed, and he let his full blown, rich laughter fall out of his smile.

It was nice that he was actually smiling again. Ginny sometimes thought he would never smile again.

Sometimes he seemed so depressed it was amazing that she could ever see him smile again.

Ginny blushed but quickly shook off her utter humiliation.

Well, on the outside anyways. On the inside she was contemplating how possible it was that everyone had laughed at her for minutes on end while she lay there asleep.

She hadn't snored had she?

Mouth open and drooling?

She hoped not.

With a wishing glance towards the door, the wish being to skip today and just go back to sleep as she was still horribly tired, she shook her head with a displeased sigh and followed Harry around the corner.

It was odd to Ginny to know that over the past few years Harry had become considerably less non-unapproachable and they had actually formed some sort of friendship, indefinable at all causes.

She stopped outside her classroom and feeling a toxic awkward silence approaching, looked to the floor. Sure Weasley, that'll help a LOT…

She rolled her eyes at her mental uber-bitch and tried not to slap herself upside the head for reprimanding her own mind.

"Ginny?" Came a voice, snapping her back out of her daze. "Ginny! Come ON!" Annabella hissed from inside the classroom.

Ginny looked about herself to find that Harry had been gone long enough to be out of sight. Ginny's cheeks reddened considerably as she scuttled into the Potions room.

Ginny gave a meek smile to Annabella as she sat down in an empty seat in the back behind her friend.

"How long was I out there? Where'd Harry go? What happened?" Ginny inquired, her own voice lowered to a whisper as many of the students had followed suit.

In Professor Snape's class, sometimes keeping a low profile and staying under the radar was the best idea out of them all.

Annabella grinned somewhat regretfully. "I tried to wake you up Ginny, I did." She said and sighed. "You were only out there for a minute or so. But Snape was in here badgering us for not having the right text or some other reason that... well… I didn't get around to noticing you standing there, staring at the wall till a second ago."

Ginny felt her cheeks flush wildly with color.

Maybe she needed to be medicated for constant zonings.

With a wistful glance at the door she froze. Damn predetermined facial expressions! She had wanted to look at the door as if her life, itself depended on reaching it, to find Draco Malfoy standing there.

Out of his peripheral vision he saw her and his bored gaze at the board behind Snape's desk turned into a displeased glare in Ginny's direction.

Ginny's eyes widened in horror and she half shook herself back into her previous staring into the deep cauldron.

"Ah, so nice to see you finally in the classroom, Weasley." The slithering voice of Professor Snape made its way against the walls to the far corners of the classroom and to Ginny's ears, which had turned horribly red.

"Draco, good boy, thank you for coming." Snape's tone had changed from utter disgust to slight pleasure. Ginny shivered in her own skin at the sound of such a change. It wasn't normal for such a man.

"Take a seat next to the daydreamer and we can get started." Snape said finally and Ginny was… well… looking into the cauldron.

"Who, professor?" She heard Malfoy ask, she could feel him looking about the room.

"Weasley of course." Ginny snapped to attention, her eyes open with terror.

Oooooohhhhhhh no! He didn't just sit Malfoy next to her did he!

Ginny shot a glance at Annabella who gave her a concerned look. Probably because Malfoy not killing the poor Virginia in the duration of the class period was near impossible.

Ginny could feel every muscle in her body tighten as she heard Malfoy mutter a "yes sir", she could tell he was sneering as he did so.

There was a sudden change in the mood of the room about Ginny as she felt Draco come and sit beside her on the bench provided.

Damn benches were so small. She felt herself scoot over to allow him more room and so she didn't have to rub elbows with him.

Being in the way she was she was already almost halfway off the bench before she nearly fell off. Startled and setting herself straight she felt automatically uncomfortable sitting with half her arse hanging off the bench.

Shifting her gaze she noticed about three quarters of a foot of space between her and Draco, she also noted that he hadn't moved an inch.

Debating in her mind it best to not take the risk of falling over, she began inching more onto the bench until she was good and on it. Sadly this only made about three inches of room between she and Draco.

She could feel his eyes on her and she bent down to pick up her book, hopefully distracting herself from it all.

"Pull down your skirt Weasley." She heard Draco mutter over the low rattle of Professor Snape's voice.

"Excu-cuse me?" She asked, looking up at him, still bent over in her pursuit of the text book.

She was surprised and somewhat horrified to find him glaring at… her leg?

She could feel her brows furrow. Was that some sort of pick-up rape line or something?

Kinky… Wait… what?

"I said pull down your skirt Weasley, your thighs are showing, you have it too high up."

He grunted and turned back to Professor Snape, acting as if nothing like that had happened.

Ginny's eyes widened as did the color spectrum of her skin, she now reaching an all new red. She sat back up and shifted herself so her hands came to yank down her skirt as told to.

Now not only was she utterly uncomfortable, but she without her robe was flashing everyone the top of her bright red thong.

Considering how many house points she might have taken away for darting out class and never returning, she was unaware of the helpless noise that left her throat until after it happened.

Eyes wide she saw a smirk crawl across Draco's face from her peripheral vision.

DAMMIT! A clear pout on her lips she turned away so that she couldn't see any part of Draco... besides his shoes as she was staring at her own feet.

Her hands were now grasping her knees tightly and her knuckles slowly turning white as she stared intently down at the floor.

Her feet.

Anything else in that vicinity.

So Draco's feet as well.

When had she started to think of him as Draco?

He was Malfoy, not Draco. Never Draco.

Calling him by his first name insinuated that he was human which by the laws of all that was real was impossible.

"Alright, children," Professor Snape droned on. "Your homework for tonight will be to meet up with your partner, for those who don't understand it is the person you are currently sitting next to, and concoct one of the four potions I have listed on the board. If you come back tomorrow and it is completed correctly your grade will be high, if not, then it will logically be low. Oh and of course I'll be requiring three parchment sheets of step by step detail of the experiment. Detail, children. Detail."

Ginny's eyes widened again and she was sure that her ears were as red as her hair by then.

She had to see Dra- Malfoy again _tonight_ so they could do homework? But, no! No that couldn't be right!

Snape wanted Malfoy to converse with her after hours and out of class?

No! No, no, no, no, no!

She slowly turned her head to catch Dra-Malfoy's reaction to find him glaring intently at the cauldron, obvious disappointment in his stormy grey eyes.

Wait, why was she looking into his… nevermind. She just needed to look away.

That's right.

Turn her head and… She wasn't looking away. Why wasn't she looking away? She still wasn't looking away. Ok, if need to- slap self silly.

Draco's eyes flitted as he caught notice of her staring into his gaze. Uh-oh she thought meakly.

"What are you staring at me for?" He snapped, his glare turning into a purely hating sneer. Ginny swallowed down her cotton mouth and tried to justify herself.

"Was gonna ask… um… you… where you wanted to be at… um… meet… if… to do this." She stuttered out, making a great impression on herself.

It was odd the look he gave her, as if she was completely daft for asking him such a thing. As if this knowledge was supposed to be pre-known.

As if asking was the most idiotic thing for her to do.

"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything. You're doing it tonight and tomorrow I'll put my name on it. I wouldn't spend a night with you Weasel." And with that Snape dismissed the class and Dr- Malfoy was gone leaving Ginny sitting there, mouth open in dead horror. She was going to do this by herself?


	4. A Wonderful Way to Wake

**Disclaimer: I don't know how you can read all this and not know that I am not, nor will ever be as brilliant as to come up with anything half as long as the HP series. It just won't happen. Plus, I spent all my money on my hat. My black pimp hat. Yeah. Pimp hat. Smooooooooothness.**

**Chapter Four: A Wonderful Way to Wake**

Ginny stomped into the library, arms full of text books up to her chin. How did she get stuck being the second Hermione again?

Oh right, she had the girl tutor her through the whole time she was at Hogwarts! No wonder Ginny kept up a good grade—not that it was a bad thing or anything, but sometimes it did get in the way when you were approached by strange people asking you to do their homework.

And you were a fifth year and they… were wearing seventh year robes.

With a sigh the youngest Weasley settled herself in a far back corner of the vaulted ceiling room and practically threw herself into one of the comfy chairs after placing her books in the table nearby.

"I can't believe what I've gotten myself into…" She trailed off with a shake of her head, a few rogue strands of bright red hair falling to her face. Another sigh left her pouting lips as she blew them away only to have them fall slowly back where they were not but two seconds ago. "Everything's against me isn't it?"

"Meaning what exactly?" A friendly voice came from behind her.

Turning in her place she smiled as Ron came around to sit beside her, Harry following not too far behind with a few books of his own.

Harry gave her a quick nod before dropping his books beside her previously discarded load and falling into a chair of his own.

His head immediately went down and Ginny shot his obviously exhausted body a small smile.

"Oh nothing…" Ginny trailed off with a sigh, knowing if she explained the situation to Ron he wouldn't understand.

It wasn't her fault that she and a few of her friends were put into a higher class with sixth years. "Just loads and loads of homework. It's a conspiracy." She added with another sigh as she eyed the stack of text before her.

How in the world was she going to finish it all?

She immediately was reminded of the shape Hermione, Ron, and Harry were in the year before and was sorry for them, now knowing their pain and now feeling sorry for herself in turn as well.

Ron laughed and patted her arm brotherly and shook his head, placing his hands behind his head and crossing his feet out in front of him. "Now you see what we went through last year," He trailed off with a satisfied smirk. "Torture, pure and unbreaking."

Ginny cocked a slender eyebrow and smirked herself. "As I recall, you and Harry were constantly looking to Hermione for a quick answer every three seconds."

Turning to Harry she patted his leg casually. "No offense that is Harry."

"Oi!" Ron let out, popping up to attention. "I am your brother you know. You could at least treat me like it!"

Ginny put on a feigned pout. "Oh but Ronald, I am." She said and smiled at him innocently. "Oh, and 'unbreaking' isn't a word." She added with a wink to her brother her stuck out his tongue and went back to his more relaxed position.

As Ginny shook her head she heard laughter from Harry's side of the circle and turned to look on as he snickered to himself at first but then broke out into hearty laughter.

At first she wasn't quite sure what she had done, and then she left it alone. Not wanting to confuse herself trying to come up with an excuse of any sort. "Er—Harry?" She asked, prodding him with her finger.

Laughing still he looked at her, his lips spread in a grin. "Ye—yes Gins?" He asked, raising a brown eyebrow.

"Um, what're you laughing at?"

Blinking a few times Harry thought for a moment and then gave her a somewhat satisfied look. Ginny blinked in return, awaiting his answer.

"Nothing." He said simply and stopped his laughing, and went back to how he was as if nothing had happened.

With a sigh signifying her giving up, Ginny shook her head and pulled up a book for Charms, having to record the list of charms that could be used to turn something a different color and the properties or something or other of the charm.

This was rather taxing as there were near thirty charms that would do such. Not thinking of how long this might take her, then Transfigurations she had to turn a crimson cup into a green envelope, then she had to do that ridiculous assignment for Potions? How was she to complete it all?

She spent a few more moments staring at the closed text in her lap before pulling open the ragged book and finding her place, beginning the onslaught of homework that would surely last her.

With a whimper, Ginny closed the last book she'd need and sent a tired glance to the clock above the fireplace.

She had been in the library for the past four hours, skipped dinner, and had fallen asleep nearly four times in the past half hour itself. Her neutral features turned into an evident frown as she realized that she still had that ridiculous potions experiment to do.

What if she just didn't do it? What if she walked into class tomorrow and just didn't have it at all? That would show Malfoy right? No, he would most likely come up with some excuse, like Ginny had dropped the vile and so on and so forth.

She looked about her. Ron and Harry had left… when? She hadn't been conscious to her outside world to notice them leaving.

What if they had given her important information she wasn't oblivious to? With another drawn out sigh she bowed her head, a headache beginning to set in on her.

This was all too complex for the poor girl to handle right now. And when she was about five minutes away from being out after hours, she had to rush to gather her things and get the heck out of dodge.

Making her way up the winding staircases until she came to the floor concerning the commons, she let her eyes wander off to the walls.

Good thing she had gotten so much homework done early, she had lost about half of her luggage too—most of the books having been checked out from the library.

Ginny was just wandering about the halls at this late hour, her mind set on the routine of going from one place back to Gryffindor commons, the echo of her footsteps in her mind when she heard hushed voices. She paused in her walking, eyes still on the floor.

Instead of hearing more hushed whispers she heard quite a rude voice call out to her, "Oi! What are you doing 'round here?" She turned on her heels to find Malfoy and… was that Pansy?

Ginny blinked a few time as if to awaken herself. She hadn't been caught doing anything wrong per-say. She was just about to be late getting in before curfew.

And if she was she wasn't going to take the blame if these two kept her. Ginny could hear Pansy snivel from far away and felt immediately out of place.

She was only about thirty feet from the Gryffindor commons and maybe if she dove for it she'd make it without being torn to shreds by the two.

"You heard the man, what're you doing around here?" She added to Dra--Malfoy's previous question. Ginny looked to the floor, as if that was where the answer was, then raised her head as Pansy approached, followed closely by Malfoy.

"I'm getting back from the library. It's not like I'm late or anything, I've still got a few minutes until curfew." Ginny said with a defiant nod, though it didn't make her feel much more confident.

"Well, nice to hear you speak without that stutter Weasel." Draco snuffed, looking down his nose at the fifth year. A smirk crossed his lips and he rolled his eyes, turning to Pansy. "It's not like it would be anything worth our time to stay here, what say you we head back?"

Pansy took on a look of confusion. "Oh but Draco, don't you think it would be entertaining to see her late? I would." And with that Pansy turned back to Ginny, the poor girl standing there as confused as anyone could've been in that situation.

Ginny took in a deep breath as if a bird preparing to puff out it's chest in defense. "I'm not being late because of you, Gryffindor is right there and that's where I am going." She stated rather clearly and turned, not looking back.

She could feel her heart beat inside her ears as if reminding her that she was in fact still alive.

She was surprised neither had pulled their wands out on her and cursed her for turning her back to them, the royalty of the school.

She approached the statue, looked back to make sure they weren't there, and finding them already down at the end of the hall, whispered the password and crept inside.

On the other side of the entrance she waited for it to close completely before letting out a deep sigh and leaning against the wooden door.

That was too close for comfort as the bell for curfew rang throughout the most likely not all hollowed halls of Hogwarts. What a day. Turning she saw a friendly face asleep on the couch, feet up on the table in front of her and head fallen back.

Ginny smiled.

Poor Diana.

Ginny stepped over to the girl's body and set her things down on the only available space of the table. With a sigh, a smile still on her lips she nudged her friend until she shook into awaking. After a few incoherent Russian mumbles and some nonsense about bones or something similar, Diana was awake and yawning, stretching like a cat.

"Mmmm, that was a nice nap." She smiled as she recalled the relaxed position she had been in. "Where were you? Hermione came in here looking for you earlier, like around seven. Said she never saw you at dinner? Not turning anorexic on us are you Weasley?" Diana asked with a raised thin eyebrow.

Ginny smiled. "I was only getting some—or a lot of homework done in the library. I didn't want to be stuck in the commons falling asleep like you!" She exclaimed and fell onto the couch beside her friend, marveling at the warmth coming from the fireplace.

"What all were you doing?" She asked, looking over the books.

Diana shrugged. "Whatever was easiest, then shortest… But now I've got that ridiculous assignment in Charms to do. I don't know why I didn't do it first, it's just writing down spells and all… but still, I didn't want to do it right off the bat."

Ginny nodded in understanding and turned her attention to the fireplace as Diana pulled up her long black hair.

From there the conversation went from daily events to plans for homework management until the clock told the two that it was about time to go to bed, and their eyelids certainly made the point loud and clear—Ginny almost falling asleep during a sentence.

Waking up the next day was most likely the hardest thing Ginny would've needed to do that week. Her mind was throbbing with headache from the late night study with Diana they had done once finding themselves still awake after around half an hour of laying in bed.

With a groan she rolled off her side, sitting up in the bed and ramming her forehead into the wooden frame from the curtains. "Mmmmmeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr—I don't like today." She mumbled and fell back onto her bed, closing her eyes.

Her comfy position didn't keep the chill of the room from attacking her poor bare feet, and by the time she looked down at them again, her toenails looked purple and her lightly tanned feet (from the summer) were already reddened. "Ugh!" She exclaimed unhappily and threw her fists against the bed.

"Ginny… violence—later." Diana muttered, in the same way from the bathroom where she was currently working on her make-up.

With a frown, Ginny complied and stood, walking over to her trunk where she had thrown her day's wear the night before. She searched through the highly organized pile searching for a pair of socks, at the moment suspicious if Hermione had come in the night before and over-organized her things.

Finding a suitable pair of knee-highs, she stumbled back to her bed and pulled them on, then made her way to the bathroom to her daily routine.

Half an hour later, she and Diana both arose in unison from the dorm-like room looking rather refreshed and ready for a new day, each in their uniforms and sweaters.

Ginny smiled at the site of Ron and Harry playing chess over beside the fireplace and walked over, waving a goodbye to Diana who was hitting the library for some last-minute homework completing.

The comfy red ottoman beside the two boys became Ginny's next seat as she whispered a good morning to the concentrating two.

"Mornin'." Harry muttered in return, his hands folded neatly and holding up his chin as his elbows rested on his knees.

Ron in turn waved at her, almost slapping her in the face had she not moved, bringing his finger to his lips. Obviously it was his move.

With a smile, Ginny looked about the room and found that it suddenly got quite dull. Sighing, she stood and straightened out her skirt, replying to the goodbye's she received from them and then walking from the room down to the Great Hall, hopefully following last years suite in being the only one at the Gryffindor table.

Ginny was quite pleased with herself as she walked in and found herself the only one in the whole Great Hall besides the few house elves wandering about and situating things, correcting the placement of plates and that sort.

The teachers normally didn't come in until the commons were close to empty seeing as the Great Hall had a spell currently in tact, creating a field where no magic not coming from the teachers could be performed. This to the students was quite a relief.

Walking over to the Gryffindor table, Ginny took note of its decorations. Firstly, were the most noticeable centerpieces, assorted fall flowers gathered into a woven basket charmed with butterflies cast to float about it but not wander.

The plates were a gold tinted steel of some sort and the silverware wrapped in a bright red cloth tied with magic string, air charmed to look like string and tie around something.

It wasn't very appropriate for heavy cargo though. The long table runner was a broad red stripe lined with gold and then stamped with the Gryffindor seal. Ginny soon found her favorite part of the setup.

The chairs Hogwarts had recently ordered were high back and royal looking, but not cold and uncomfortable—she was sure the Slytherin house was throwing a fit over it still.

Smiling she walked up to one of the chairs around a quarter of the way from the entrance, falling into one of the chairs and bringing her CD player to surface from her bag. She loved her father for letting her play with this thing.

It was a less technological model that the muggles used.

She was currently listening to one of her favorite CD's, some popular group from right there in Britain, patiently waiting for her friends who were currently missing in action, she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder which made her jump.

"Ack!" She squealed a little too audibly and sunk into the chair, removing the electronic device from her entirety and looking slowly up at the form beside her.

Why was Malfoy always… there? "Wha-What do you want?" She asked, still shaking from the sudden shock.

"Did you finish?" he asked, removing his hand from her appendage and replacing both in his pockets.

"What? What did I finish?" Ginny asked, her brain gone dead from the jerk of her body.

"The potion, did you get it done?" He asked snappier then previously.

Ginny swallowed and nodded meekly.

She blinked a few times and noticed that he hadn't gone yet. Blinking again she slid up and stood from her chair, backing away but staying in close hearing range, not trusting herself to hear everything he said.

"What?" She asked suspiciously as he eyed her in an awkward manner, as if trying to determine if she had stolen anything or was lying. "What are you looking at?" She asked again, turning to look behind her but seeing nothing of interest.

Turning back she cocked her head to a side, looking at him confusedly. "Dra-Malfoy?" She stopped herself from making the same mistake she had made a few times, sadly, before.

He was Malfoy! Never Draco! Again, that made him human! No human! Monster! Abominable monster!

Draco smirked and stepped closer, closing a great deal of space between them. "Silly Weasley." He laughed before tugging at one of her red curls. Ginny could feel her eyes widen. Why was he touching her?

Was there a reason for him touching her? There was no reason so why was he doing it? There was no reason, no reason at all.

The reason that popped into her mind or any other like it or unlike made him seem relatively human which—as she deducted was not possible.

Swallowing she let her gaze settle on his hand which was undeniably close to her face, which was exactly was where his hand went next. Cupping her cheek. This was when she felt unbelievably uncomfortable.

"Dr—Malfoy?" She started, stepping backwards from him, tripping and falling over the arm of a chair and onto the seat cushion.

She heard his laughter float over to her ears hypnotically she almost found herself closing her eyes tightly and balling up in slight fear.

But she wouldn't let herself, she didn't need to be scared of him anymore. That and balling up at this point would be a little painful.

"Weasley…" He trailed off, closing the gap and leaning over the chair, hands on either side of her knees, leaning close so his hair fell from its gelled spot to shadow his eyes in a quite attractive way. But NO she didn't need to think that!

"You know you've thought it too wee one." He added and for a second it looked like he was going to kiss her. This was interrupted as a loud voice rolled out over to them, calling for Malfoy to leave poor Ginny alone.

Ron and Harry rushed over followed closely by Hermione who had found her beloved, Seamus. Draco threw an awkward glance to Ginny and walked off, hands in pockets as if nothing had happened.

Ginny blinked, still startled, her heart racing in her chest as if it were about to fly out and beat it's way across the floor of the Great Hall.

Unfortunately, she had to admit to herself that the thought had crossed her mind a time or eight.

Watching as the four came over she smiled at them. "Did he push you down Ginny?" Ron asked, concern etched on his features.

Ginny felt her face grow hot and she smiled, clearing her throat. "No, I-uh, tripped into the chair." She said embarrassedly.

"Oh." Ron said, standing straighter and clearly feeling awkward.

With a sigh, Hermione pulled Seamus off to the other end of the table and soon the Great Hall started to see itself revealing files of students walking in. What an interesting way to start of a day, eh?


	5. The Hogwarts Way to Have Lunch

All my reviewers, yes all three of you: I love you, muah, kisses

Anime10473: Ginny's mind is far too boggled to be worried over why he's laughing but she still isn't convinced that he isn't standing there talking to her whilst Crabbe and Goyle are in the corner snickering over her reactions. His behavior in the past makes him seem a bit doped up to be nice to her.

Note to all readers: You should love me. I almost considered making this a H/G but I think I might wait. Or will I… DECISIONS! ACK! DECISIONS!

Chapter Five: The Hogwarts Way to Have Lunch

Over and over again Ginny played what happened during breakfast… or rather before it when she was stupidly alone in the Great Hall.

She should never be alone in the Great Hall.

Being alone in the Great Hall meant assholes like Malfoy could be there alone in the Great Hall with her.

And that was dangerous.

That was so very dangerous.

Especially since Ginny thought about him. A lot. A very lot a lot. It was obsessive, this thinking and dreaming and fantasizing. She could see it now.

He's walking towards her in the hallway. Both on the other side. She rolls her eyes, bemused at his presence, but not wanting to show interest. He closes the gap in one of those romantic and suave steps. They're next to a room. An empty room.

She doesn't figure out how he knows this but he does and he thrusts open the door and pushes the two of them in, closing it behind him all with one free arm, his other around her waist. He's looking deeply into her eyes and she into his.

His hair falls free from it's gelly prison as if all the gel product had disappeared, which it did. She runs her fingers through his hair and smirks, telling him he's stupid for believing he's good enough for her. She's confident. Obviously this is a fantasy.

He smirks back and kisses her chin whispering how he'll bow down to her and make her think he's the best thing since sliced bread.

She asks what food has anything to do with this situation and he agrees it was stupid to bring it up and that he should redeem himself.

In doing so he does that thing where he cups her thigh and pulls her against him, therein lifting her onto a table and presses his lips to hers in a fury of passion and lust.

And then she woke up because lunch didn't last that long and by the time your ice cream had melted you knew to give up all hope of eating it.

Ginny sighed and gathered up her sprawled about things, slinging her now completely full book back over her neck is the strap rested on her shoulder, the filled side against her hip and she moved in the crowd toward the exit/entrance to go to class. Not that her mind could take it anyway.

She hated the idea that the teacher would ask her who the first Ministry official was to become Minister of Magic and in a daze she would say Draco's name. What an idiot if she did.

But there was still hope for her yet. Maybe if she saw him kick a small puppy or harm a child? Or visa versa? Right?

Right?

Ginny decided that if the day were going to get any better it would have to do so in the next seven minutes or she would give all hope of life as she knew it and wind up like that lady that every neighborhood has who collects poor defenseless animals and then trains them to clean her house.

She also found it utterly useless to end this sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that lurched whenever she felt like she was around him.

Or now.

Because that feeling was there. Most likely because she could… smell him? Note to self, stop smelling people when they aren't there.

"Weasley." Came a soft voice from behind her, lingering as hot breath caressed her ear. Ginny's body went rigid like a board and she turned her head to see Malfoy behind her, looking smug and arrogant as usual. "Good to see you again." He added and with the most amazing subtlety she had ever seen he placed his hands on her hips, as he was standing directly behind her.

Her throat felt dry and her voice too thick to be relinquished from the prison in her diaphragm. So why did she start coughing violently? She saw Draco smirk and felt herself pulled off to the back of the exiting crowd.

Why?

What?

WHY!

Ginny patted her chest before she turned to see that she was now alone. In the Great Hall. Alone in the Great Hall with Draco Malfoy.

Wait. Wasn't she just saying that was a BAD idea? "Dr-Draco what are you doing?" She coughed, covering her mouth in confusion.

She felt his fingers twitch on her hips as his eyes settled on her lips. Noticing the edges of his lips twitch upwards, Ginny frowned as he pushed his body close to hers. "Why don't you tell me what you think I'm doing."

Ginny frowned and tried to step back, finding there was a wall there. "You're trying very hard to scare me to death. That's what you're doing." She stated flatly and hurriedly, her voice cut off as his hands graced the lower part of her back.

His lips curved and parted, his breath hot against her neck as he leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. "Wrong." He whispered.

Draco was smirking madly. Just like a madman. Ever since seeing her that one day, he was fascinated by her change over the summer. She was so much more independent, so much more outgoing. So much more gorgeous than she had been the year previous.

Not that she hadn't been okay the year before but he loved how she hit a growth spurt. A few inches was always nice. Her hair had fallen into her face, shadowing her eyes. Leaning in a little further he nudged her jaw line with his nose.

Almost obediently he saw her head tilt apprehensively. Smirking he nipped her ear, his stomach lurching pleasantly at the sound of her breath catch.

His heart was racing and he felt his fingers twitch again, begging to roam, but he kept himself under control, not wanting to be slapped with a charged of harassment.

Not that he wasn't sort of doing that already, but she wasn't protesting.

Mainly because she couldn't breath. Ginny was definitely having troubles breathing.

Her chest was rising and falling but oxygen was not going to the brain. Her eyes were wide and she was still avoiding the idea that maybe Draco was trying to, well, be romantic with her.

That idea was just so farfetched. Even when Draco pulled back slowly and still smiling… nice smile… his eyes on hers… beautiful eyes… his lips moving closer… thick lips.

Wait. What?

There was the connection, and then the sound of her hand hitting his face. Hard.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Ginny hollered, the room felt as if it was shaking.

She slipped out from his grasp and moved away from him, back towards the tables which were now being cleaned off by the house elves.

Which were currently distracted by the unfolding scene.

Draco rubbed his cheek pitifully, a pout situated on his features. "Well that certainly wasn't what I was expecting." He cooed and looked over to her. "Bit ungrateful, aren't you?" He sniffled, still rubbing his cheek.

Infuriated, her small fists balled up so her knuckles shown white she took a deep breath. "What reaction were you expecting? AN AWARD OR SOMETHING!"

Draco's eyes squinted for a moment and he walked over to her, hands waving her volume down. "Can you stop yelling for a moment?"

Ginny closed her eyes and replied the best she could. "NO!"

Draco winced and rubbed his now thrumming ears. "Then just don't talk while I get my hearing back."

Before he could add on to that sentence he heard a growl before Ginny gathered up her disheveled things and with an "Ooo-Malfoy I'll kill you," headed out of the Great Hall.

Ginny threw her things down onto the couch in the joint commons room and fell into the chair beside it. "Why me?" She sighed.

"Why you what?" Harry Potter walked into the room and sat down on the couch, moving her stuff over and patting the cushion beside him.

Ginny nodded and moved over to the place beside him, sighing once more and collapsing beside him, her head on his shoulder. "I've just had the most unwanted day ever known to man and I'm wondering why God hates me." She stated flatly.

Harry's brows furrowed and as per usual he began to caress her arm as he listened in. "What are you talking about?"

Ginny looked up to him, her small hand balling up in his shirt. She was contemplating whether or not it would be a good idea to tell him about her run-ins with Draco. She decided, however, not to keep it from her now very good friend.

"Well see it all started on the train on the way over…" She spent the next entirety of the hour taking up the class period they both had off together and the break between class and dinner to tell her story.

If she wasn't mistaken, when Harry heard about how Draco rudely commented about her skirt and then the most recent happening his body tensed up and he avoided eye contact.

That didn't mean anything did it?

She felt his chest tighten at the end. "He did, did he." Harry whispered out, his hand now tight on her arm. As Ginny nodded her hair tickled his hand and he shivered.

"I'm-sorry?" She added, looking at him worriedly. Wait, what was she sorry about?

"There's no reason for you to apologize Gins," Harry replied, his voice low and oddly soothing. His hand returned to the gentle caress and Ginny put her head down. It was common now for people to see them like this.

Ever since Harry had saved her life they were like brother and sister. It was nothing unusual.

And so when people started to filter into the room to drop off there things and wait for dinner to be served, it wasn't in the least bit surprising to find Harry Potter asleep with Ginny Weasley, also asleep, in his arms.

It was cute though.


	6. If Only They Had a Pill For This

Chapter Six: If Only They Had a Pill For This

Ginny swallowed harshly as she looked into the deep eyes that burrowed deeply into her heart. Her stomach twisted as her hands fought for something sturdy behind her, her feet moving back inch by inch as he moved in closer.

"Don't be afraid Weasley; you know what they say…" He trailed off, silvery blonde hair falling out of it's place and into his eyes making him look terribly beautiful in the dim light of the library.

Ginny's eyes closed as she found a table and pushing her body as far against as she could to put space between them.

She felt his hands on her hips, her body tingled with excitement.

She had already assessed that she was sadly infatuated with Draco but how dare he do what he was doing.

All so confusing she thought he was either hitting on her or Crabbe, Goyle or Pansy (or possibly all three) were standing in the darkness with a camera pointed at her, waiting for her to crack so they could prove to the whole school how absolutely gorgeous Draco was.

"Draco… please," She trailed off in a squeak, her voice trembling.

She was tempted to throw her arms around him and bring him into one of the most passionate kisses she'd ever given anyone besides her past boyfriends.

She was a virgin mind you, and because of that, Draco and his foreshadowing reputation scared the bejeezus out of Ginny. But his underlying legends, that of his possibly most charming boyfriend awards along with "most likely to make you queen of his castle" trophies were all too seductive as well. Not that she wanted to be queen of his castle or some nonsense like that. So she thought.

No! She knew!

This uncertainty made it all the more harder for Ginny to sit there with is hot breath on her neck as she remained, eyes closed, tense, hands clenching the edge of the table. "Draco…" She sniffled and felt his lips graze her jaw line.

"Weasley, let's not ruin this with words." He hoarsely whispered and with that she felt her entire body go limp as his lips nipped and bit at her neck. It was oddly the most erotic thing that had ever happened to her. She had never encountered a biter before.

It was as if his teeth had hit every right nerve and she felt her entire stomach lift into the air and disappear. She felt her leg curl and her knee run up the side of his thigh, one of his hands went for it as if on cue and cupped her thigh, pulling her closer so their hips rammed together uncomfortably… so she hoped it came off that it was uncomfortable for her.

Actually Draco was quite good at what he was doing.

_Because he had been doing it for a while._

_What did it matter though, people could change-right?_

_Stop being hopefully optimistic!_

_Better yet, stop talking to yourself!_

Ginny pushed him back and… gravity pulled her from flailing about under her covers to the cold hard floor of the girls' dormitory. "Why me?" She groaned as she attempted to de-sheet her currently mummified lower half. Her mind was racing.

Why had she been dreaming about Draco again?

And why in that way?

Had someone slipped something in her drink to make her think she had gone mad so she would inevitably be found in the loo crying insane and muffled sentences in a corner and be committed?

Was she going overboard or something?

After kicking her feet out of the last hold of the deathly fabrics she pushed herself off the floor and walked towards the bathroom, grabbing up her toiletries kit on the way and promptly stubbing her toe on the nearby bed table. Biting back curses as to not wake her roommates she hurried into the bathroom and after shutting the door (thankful for the charm placed on all doors making noise VERY hard to travel through the wood), she let out a howl of frustration and naughty language.

"Damn table and its bloody edges and its bloody BEING IN MY WAY!" Grumpy wasn't a good way to start off the day but as things were, going it looked like the only road besides horribly depressed and exhausted. Her eyes drifted to the mirror and she noticed that at the most inappropriate times she mastered the perfect pout. Like now.

And, oh god, was that a zit!

Earth to Ginny, vanity is so unbecoming. And belching does not impress the opposite sex.

Ginny blinked, where the hell did that come from? Oh, yes, she remembered now.

Back in her third year her torturously embarrassing mother got high hopes of Ginny being in high society because of something Professor Trelawney had said. Bloody woman and her stupid tea leaves. Tea was to be drunk, not stared at over hours until the leaves got nasty and dark and repulsive smelling so as to maybe glance something that looked or resembled anything real

. The woman was insane but Ginny had stood out in the class, Merlin knows why.

No wonder she and Hermione had so much in common.

Well, except for the Divinations grade anyways.

Ginny sighed and turned the faucet on, cold water rushing out, she dipped her hands in it and let it pool in her palms before leaning over and splashing it against her face. Not only did this wake her up but she had read somewhere that it was healthy for your complexion to use cool water before washing.

She closed her eyes tightly, shivering at the chilly tingle that ran down her spine. Shaking her head, she turned off the sink and walked over to the shower, starting it up for a relaxing beginning to a day.

Ginny stood, looking at the mirror, at her reflection. Her cheeks were too high. Or was it that her eyes were too low? Or maybe her ears too far back? She felt off center today, unbalanced, unusual… ugly. Sighing she smoothed out the last creases in her skirt.

Gryffindor had to have one of the most coordinated color combinations. Red, gold, and black as a basic.

Ginny put on her black skirt with red and gold striped stockings, her white blouse and red sweater, her signature black shoes. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and adorned her ears with silver hoops that Hermione had given her last year.

She smiled and pulled out her lip gloss, placing some on and jumping at the sound of Diana pounding in the door, she smeared it along her chin and cheek. "Bloody hell Diana, can't you wait!" Ginny unlocked the door and pulled it open, a gush of cool air coming in and warm air moving out. Diana paused in the doorway.

"Ginny, has someone gone and attacked you with lip gloss again?" She smirked and ducked at the towel Ginny tossed at her head. "It's a legitimate question, should I be worried that your eyesight is dimming?"

Ginny rolled her eyes sighed. "I think you should be more worried that my sanity is dimming." She groaned and sat down on the toilet seat, head in her hands. "I swear to Merlin I'm losing my mind, whatever Fred and George left of it anyways. I mean, I swear…"

She trailed off, blushing and embarrassed that she wanted so much to tell her dear friend how badly she thought of Draco and, honestly, how obsessively.

"Are you daft or something? Sick? Possessed?" A hand on her hip, Diana placed the other against the counter and leaned against it looking down at her poor friend. "What's gotten to you Weasley? You've been acting weird all summer and now since school has started… I mean it usually stops it's not like you don't go into a trance over something usually but not for as long… and now with tests coming up you should really be focusing… Ginny I'm worried about you. Are you on crack?"

Ginny looked up from her current place. Her expression was blank for a moment as she looked over Diana's features, worry, fear, anxiety. And then Ginny burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Crack? Are you serious?" Almost falling of the toilet Ginny took hold of the tub rim to keep her off the ground. "My god, am I acting that strange?" She took a deep breath and went over to hug her confused friend.

"For one, no, I'm not on crack. I would never do anything named after such a repulsive part of the body. I have one; I don't need a drug for it. And two…" She trailed off and backed away, nervously wringing her hands.

She rushed to the bathroom door and shut it, turning back to her more so confused companion.

"It's Draco. I've been having dreams about him this whole week and I think someone's drugged or cursed me. I swear I never liked him, I think he's the most repulsive human being…if you can even call him that… that I've ever met. He's nasty and awful and I bet he kicks puppies but ever since he started paying attention to me and I saw him on the train shirtless it's like I'm lusting after his hot body or something irrational like that."

The spilling out of words like water from an overturned glass most likely didn't help the understanding of the topic but it didn't seem to matter as Diana burst out laughing in return. "Are you absolutely MAD? Draco Malfoy? The world's youngest living heart donor? You must be joking." Her smile faded as Ginny looked at her, seriousness planted on her face.

"I think I'm poisoned, Di." Ginny muttered as she sat back down on the toilet and kicked her feet back and forth. "I think I'll die soon either from complete insanity or by suicide… I can't live thinking that Draco is a human, it's disturbing and what's wrong with me!" She whined and threw her hands up in the air, covering her face again. "I think I'm ill."

Diana sighed sympathetically and crossed the distance of the room, sitting beside Ginny and patting her back. "I think you're ill too but Gins, at least he's not ugly and he's rich. At least you have your priorities straight, right?" Smiling a bit she stood and pulled the shower curtain closed. "Now sod off so I can shower up. We'll talk about this later. You just need something to eat, some breakfast. I think the Grand Hall is empty now; you should go and be by yourself, get some food and breathe.

Ginny's eyes shot open. Please, may this not be a sign. "No, I'm good, I'll wait for someone I think… or I'll wander. Just…no, no Grand Hall…" She trailed off as Diana closed the door behind her. Ginny would most certainly not go back to the Grand Hall unaccompanied.

Taking into consideration her options, Ginny Weasley sat for a few minutes in the commons, wondering what she could possibly do to get herself out of this mess. She could find someone she could date for the time being to get her over Draco Malfoy right?

Or maybe she should just trick him into doing something really dirty and convince herself to hate him forever and ever until the end of time, period. Right?

She sighed and looked over to the boys dormitories. Maybe she could wake Harry up. Sixth years were able to pick dorms to share with one other person (naturally Harry picked Ron), and Ginny knew a way to get in undetected… relatively.

Someone usually saw her, a painting or some random boy but she knew a way to bypass the staircase that went flat under your feet if you didn't match the right gender (damn tricky too).

She pushed herself out of the chair and looking both ways, and seeing as it was relatively early, she pressed herself against the left wall of the staircase, keeping only the edges of her toes on the edge of the steps until she reached the top jumped upon it, happy she had made it.

She looked both ways, making sure there weren't any boys coming out of their rooms that would snitch (not that any would… she could always bribe them with homework help), she made her way down the hall until she turned right onto the sixth and seventh year wing.

There were a few rooms that sounded awake, but she knew those rooms and it was a hoax so they could go wandering about in the middle of the night and get caught.

No doubt they had and that's why their contraptions were still on. Reaching Ron and Harry's door she tested the knob first, finding it unlocked she let herself in to find Ron fast asleep on the floor beside his bed (Ginny blushed at the familiarity) and Harry sleeping across the room in his bed, hair disheveled and all.

Ginny smirked and made her way first to Harry's side and put her knee on one side of his body, her other foot planted on the floor, and leaned over to get a glimpse of his face. Smiling to know he was asleep she stepped back and glanced at her brother. If he wasn't wide eyed and awake, he was asleep.

Firm in her ideas that both were well asleep and she could pull off the perfect plan she stood back…

… And yelling as loud as she could. "NO PROFESSOR SNAPE! DON'T PUT SPIDERS IN RON'S BED!"

Ron started awake and screaming frantically began to beat his arms and legs as if he could feel the spiders. Harry jumped back and fell to the floor, flaring about and kicking his sheets off, pulling out his wand and readying himself to rescue Ron to find…

There were no spiders.

And no Professor Snape.

But Ginny.

Harry sighed and tapped Ron on the shoulder until he took notice. "Harry what is it? can't you see I'm trying to get these bloody spiders off me! Help!" Too busy in fear he hadn't even noticed there weren't any.

"Ron, there are no spiders. It's just Gins." Harry stated flatly and fell back onto his bed.

Ron stopped and opened an eye, inspecting his arm. Falling backwards with a pitiful groan he covered his eyes with an arm. "Gins what the hell is wrong with you?"

Ginny snorted trying to fight back a fit of giggles but couldn't and continued laughing. "S-Sorry R-Ron… I c-couldn't h-help it!"

Ron smirked mischievously and gave Harry a knowing look. "Yeah I bet you couldn't!" And almost choreographically they both lunged at the youngest Weasley and began an onslaught of tickles until Ginny began to cry and threatened to wet her pants.

After they all settled down once more, Harry and Ron each sitting on their beds and Ginny leaning against the armoire at the head of the room, Ron looked over to his sister, confusion etched on his face. "Gins, why are in here? I mean, shouldn't you be dancing with your friends to some pop song or something? Doing your toe nails and all?"

Ginny smiled. "No one's awake as early as I am," As if on cue, Harry let out a yawn and Ginny laughed. "Obviously, and I'm not going to the Grand Hall alo-"

Ginny cut herself off. She hadn't told Ron yet about what Draco had done and wasn't sure if Harry had filled him in. In that case, a nosy brother was not something she wanted in her hair today among other things.

Harry looked over at her and his smile faded. He had gotten the meaning of what she was saying and looked down at his feet. Coughing he stood up and stretched. He looked at Ginny and gave her a weak smile. "Already told Ron about it. Sorry Gins." With that he wandered off into the bathroom and the sound of a shower carried over.

"Oh." Ginny whispered and looked over at Ron who seemed to feel awkward at the moment.

"Yeah, Gins… I know I can be real annoying and all but you're my sister. I got to protect you and all. You should've told me." He stood and walked over, giving Ginny a short hug. Backing up he added sternly, a fingertip in her face. "And if he ever touches you again I'm going to blow his brains out."

"And make him puke up slugs as revenge?" Ginny offered. Ron eyed her evilly.

"That's not a very nice memory thank you very much and for your information it was because my wand was broken." Sharing a smile Ginny tackled him to his bed and forced him to brush out her now dry hair until Harry returned from the steaming bathroom and Ron was relieved of duty.

After Ron finally got out of the shower, Ginny and Harry having spent thirty minutes yelling at him to hurry up, the three left the Gryffindor commons room and headed for the Grand Hall.

Hi my faithful readers! It is I, author mistress Smut Bunny Princess or Nat for short. I've revised a few chapters and am hoping to continue the revising mess until this story is flawless! cackle Which it will never be but that's ok, you still love me right? Anyways. I hope you like it.

I've decided Draco is the main man for this story but I'm making another that's a nice GDH triangle which is always entertaining right? It's greatness. But when that starts, I might not be adding as quickly with this one which means it'll go twice as slow… yippee!

Until then, I love you all!


	7. A Day to Remember, Or Forget

Chapter Seven: A Day to Remember or Forget

The three, Ginny, Ron, and Harry walked into the Great Hall to find it pleasantly empty besides the house elf here or there readying the room for the crowd of students. By that time the sun had risen over the terrain around the school and was shining in the most pleasant way through the glass onto the long wooden tables decorated with the house colors.

Gryffindor house had red napkins around the silverware tied with golden ribbon, green and silver for Slytherin, blue and bronze for Ravenclaw, and yellow and black for Hufflepuff. Long draperies hung over each table displaying the shields of the houses; the lion, the raven, the snake, the badger. Ginny was always amazed by the amount of spirit each house held.

Smiling, the littlest Weasley made her way to the Gryffindor table and taking a seat between Ron and Harry, sighed happily. This wasn't going to be that bad of a year… It might not even be a BAD year. It might be… dare she say, good?

As the rest of the student population began to file into the room Ginny looked up at the ceiling and to where a floating drapery hung above her. The Gryffindor crest was depicted above her head in all its glory. The red and gold showed off the valor and honor of the house and for a split second, Ginny felt overwhelming pride to be in that house.

Hermione sat down across from her at the table closely followed by Seamus who scooted his chair closer to Hermione's then set his arm around her shoulders. Needless to say Hermione looked elated.

Ginny grinned at her friend. "So 'Mione, what are you planning on doing for your N.E.W.T.s next year? Or has your mind changed again?"

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ginny but laughed as Seamus tickled her side. "The latter I'm afraid." She giggled slapping at Seamus' hand.

"In the name of Merlin's beard, Hermione, aren't you going to pick one some day?" Ron questioned, though his mouth was full so it sounded something more like "I' eh ay uh er-ih's ear, Eree, n' oo oin oo ih uh um ay?"

Everyone turned to look at him questionably. To this he raised his eyebrows. "Uht?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why don't you finish chewing and swallowing your food before you try to talk so you won't cover anyone with the bits that just came flying out of your mouth, dear brother?"

Ron glared at her and swallowing repeated himself. Hermione blinked at the question. "What do you suppose me to do Weasley? Just gamble my future like that?" She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

Harry smiled and leaned back in his chair, looking over to Ginny, he spoke in a low voice so only the two could talk. "What about you Weasley number seven?"

Ginny shrugged and leaned into her chair, munching on a grape. "What do you suppose me to do Potter? Just gamble my future like that?" Mocking Hermione she snapped her fingers. She and Harry shared a laugh.

"You know what I meant Ginevra…" Harry whispered, speaking Ginny's real first name. She blushed and shoved his arm.

Ginevra was an odd name to her and so she rarely used it. She mostly said her name was Virginia. But Ginevra it was. "Well what _did_ you mean Harry James Potter?" She asked with a small smile.

Harry pulled Ginny close and started to rub her arm lightly. "I mean what you want to do with your life Gins."

"Oh I don't know… be happy I suppose…"

Across the Great Hall two steely grey eyes watched the two at their flirting games. He was amazed and bitter at how comfortable she was with Potter as compared to him. Potter was no better, only closer. In the same house. Blah blah blah. Draco scoffed and turned around in his seat.

Goyle looked at him quizzically. "What's up Draco?"

Draco glared at him. "Do you see that Goyle? Huh? I threw all my best stuff at that girl and nothing. I mean come on, Pansy fell for that."

Goyle scratched his head. "Maybe she's not like Pansy."

Draco smacked his forehead. "Of course she's not like Pansy you oaf, that's why she's there and Pansy is here with me in Slytherin."

Goyle looked around for the girl named Pansy and not seeing her leaned over the table. "Well I mean Ginny's smart and pretty and nice."

Draco laughed. "I do see your point fellow." Turning back around in his chair Draco looked again at the two cuddling up to each other. It was so normal to see that now for everyone else but he found it repulsive.

Obnoxious.

What was this? Was Draco Malfoy jealous of Potter? HA! Absolute poppycock… And yet…

Draco looked a little bit longer at the girl. Her red hair tied back in a pony tail, the curls creating little bumps in her hair. Small strays fell against the side of her face and her freckles dotted her cheeks angelically. If he wasn't good enough for at least Ginny Weasley he needed some working on.

That's why it was such a big deal. He couldn't be turned down is all.

Turning back he saw Goyle blinking. "You know Draco, Ginny sure ain't like Pansy. So maybe you should do a lot of things different with her than when you did with Pansy, you know?"

Goyle's grammar was shot and his speech incorrect but Draco took the advice to heart. He would. He would treat Ginny Weasley the way he thought any woman would want to be treated.

Too bad he was wrong.

-

-

-

-

-

-

Draco waited outside the Gryffindor tower for hours, well, half an hour really but for his soar feet it felt like hours. Ginny was up in Astronomy at the time, looking through the telescope at the various moons of Jupiter and had been late getting down. This caused Draco's mood to darken but seeing the redhead bound down the hallway in a joyous manner caused his demeanor to change and he stood upright and pasted a smile on his lips.

Ginny skidded to a halt seeing the Slytherin outside the entrance to her tower and was almost half sure he was there to murder her, not woo her. "Malfoy? What in Merlin's beard are you doing here? There? In this general area?"

Draco was stunned. She had said all that without a single stutter and seemed genuinely surprised at his being here. It was as if she had grown up in a sense. "Well Miss Weasley, I've decided to ask your brother for your hand in marriage."

And what he thought would've won her over… or scare her,

Made her burst out into laughter. Loudly. In fact she tried to balance herself against the stone walls but fell down and dropped her books all over the place.

Inside he felt like exploding but outside he merely showed minute disbelief or confusion.

Ginny slapped her knee. "You… you must be jo-joking!" She coughed out as she attempted to recapture her breath. Draco blinked at her and she calmed down at once, seeing the seriousness in his expression. "Joking? Ha ha? Like, as in not serious?"

Draco shook his head and shrugged. "Well I was going to ask dear old Ronny boy if I could take you out sometime but don't get ahead of yourself Ginny darling, I wasn't going to ask to marry you, you have won me over _that_ much yet."

Ginny blanched and she looked at him with her jaw brushing the ground, despite her relief she was offended. "That's not funny Malfoy, it's rude to say things like that."

"I'm not meaning to be rude Weasley, I'm serious."

"You know what," Ginny began gathering up her books from the dirt floor and standing herself straight. "I'm gonna walk into that commons and into my dorm room and forget that this conversation ever took place, so don't you worry. You won't be humiliated. I swear." And with that she ran to the fat lady, whispered the password and was gone.

Well, for what Draco could see. Really she was just on the other side of the painting, grasping at her heart which was attempting to escape from her chest. He couldn't have been serious, she thought, couldn't have.

But… what if he _was_?


	8. A Bet's A Bet

Chapter Eight: A Bet's A Bet

Ginny lay down on her bed, pillow over her face and her things dashed here and there across the floor. Diana lay on the bed next to her, shaking her head and rubbing her temples. "He's stalking you, I swear it. He's EVERYWHERE. I promise on Merlin's beard I woke up this morning and I thought I saw him on his broom outside our window, Gins, this HAS to stop."

From underneath the pillow Ginny groaned. "I've told him to sod off but he won't get the message."

"Then shoot him or something, break both his legs, I don't know but if you don't do something about this soon I'm going to corner him in a hallway one day and beat the living snot out of him."

"I don't care. I don't care! I don't care if you get all Lorena what's-her-face! You know? That one Muggle woman who lopped off her husbands thing for cheating on her? I don't CARE! I just want to be _free_…" Ginny tossed the pillow across the room as if in desperation and sat up. "I used to think that he would be a good boyfriend you know, someone I could love and be good to and all but now he's giving me the willies, Di."

Diana smiled sisterly like at the seventh Weasley and sat down next to her distraught friend. "Then let's tell Ron that he's tried to go and get under your skirt. At least that way all your brothers would have something to do and we could watch and point and laugh at."

Ginny groaned and fell back into her previous position. "You know Ron would try to do it his bloody self and would get injured."

Diana giggled. "I told you we would have something to laugh at didn't I?"

Ginny considered this. Although Ron was in fact her flesh and blood he was meddlesome. And terribly, terribly off the target. Whenever she had gone out with Michael from Ravenclaw Ron had thought she was pregnant because of how "strange" she had been acting. At that point Ginny officially crossed off 'genius' from the list of things her brother could ever amount to and promptly dumped a quarter pound of vanilla ice cream in his hair for even considering it. Of course a week later they broke up cause the idiot was sulking over _Quidditch_…

Ginny sighed. "Honestly though, Di. What am I going to do?"

"Give him a chance?"

There was silence in the room.

"What?

"Give him a chance."

"I'm sorry?"

"Give. Him. A. Chance."

"Could you repeat that?"

"You heard me the third time Weasley, don't be a smart ass."

Silence.

Then, "ARE YOU BLOODY CRAZY!"

Diana swore she could feel the castle move as it began to tumble into the surrounding waters. "Blimey, Weases, could you yell a little louder then?"

"If I tried, yeah!"

"I didn't want to tear down Hogwarts for Merlin's sake!"

"Well how did you expect me to respond?"

"I don't know, go walk outside our commons and find Draco waiting for you in the hallway and run up to him and wrap your arms around him and whisper sweet nothings into his ear or something?"

"Ha. Ha. Funny. I'm laughing. Really. See this face?" Ginny pointed at her unsatisfied expression. "It's laughing. Really hard."

"Yeah, and it's dripping with sarcasm, too."

"You're daft."

"You're chicken."

"What?"

Ginny stood up to look at Diana from across the room.

Diana blinked and shrugged coolly. "You're chicken that he might be right and might really like you so you're chicken."

"I know he's joking just to get to me or something, he's not serious Di, I think he's crazy."

"So are you going to commit him so you can visit him in his padded cell? Most comfortable I'm sure for those… _notorious_ nights."

Diana dodged another pillow being thrown at her head as she and Ginny began to laugh. Diana soon joined in and they decided to go down to the kitchen and sneak some snacks.

Walking through the commons Diana stopped Ginny for a moment. "Alright, let's make a deal shall we?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow with interest.

"If we walk outside that passway and Draco's even in that hallway, even if it looks as if he's just passing, you have to wave at him like the little vixen I know you are," Diana shoved Ginny's arm teasingly at this, "And wink at him."

Ginny blinked. What were the odds of him actually being out there anyways? Unlikely, right? Ginny paused, and then put out her hand. "Alright, you'll have nothing to see but, sure." They shook on it and with a grin Diana walked towards the Fat Lady portrait. As it opened, Draco Malfoy's figure could be seen standing across from the opening. Ginny almost blanched. Diana looked over at her friend.

Ginny felt the bottom of her jaw sweep against the floors of the Gryffindor commons and felt heat pool in her cheeks as she looked at Draco. He was looking about, not noticing the two girls at the opening. He seemed to be waiting for something. Hopefully, Ginny prayed, not her.

She glanced at Diana who was smiling evilly. Ginny kept her look of anger on her features before turning into a charming, smiling girl. She sighed, she had to go through with the bet, and she always did. So she and Diana stepped out of the opening and into the hallway, catching Draco's attention.

Ginny brought up her hand to next to her face, cocking her head girlishly to the side and waved at him, fingers wiggling gingerly. As she began to walk away she winked at him, turning back she was slow enough to catch the bottom of his face fall to the ground and his eyes widen twice their normal size.

Halfway down the hall the two girls broke out into laughter, scaring all those in their path to the kitchen.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

After polishing off a few rolls and half the lunch meat Ginny and Diana lounged about in the Great Hall waiting for the rest of their Saturday to pass them by. It was pleasant to see that no one was there around them so they continued to joke about the hopelessly obsessive and decided, psychotic, Draco Malfoy.

Diana grabbed up a nearby table cloth that had been removed for the dinner settings. She let it unfold as she threw it about herself and took the position of some strange vampire. "Look at me Gins, I'm your hopeless lover!" And continued in a strange accent, "I've come to suck you're BLOOD!"

Ginny threw her friend an annoyed glance and rolled her eyes, throwing a roll at her as well.

Diana caught the roll with a victorious "Aha!" and took a large bite out of it.


	9. Dreams and Jealousy

Chapter Nine: Dreams and Jealousy

Two Weeks Prior

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Draco Malfoy sat scowling on the train ride to Hogwarts. He was terribly tired but for some reason he couldn't get to sleep. The best he could do at the time was pull back the covers to the bed and sit there shirtless for a moment. He finally decided that he best get some sleep before they arrived for he might be up all night listening to Pansy's riveting summer vacation stories. Sighing he finally rolled over and covered himself up, closing his eyes. All he could think of was the fight he and his father had gotten into the night before.

_The night before_

"_I'm sorry but I cannot see my family's name go down in history as consistently losing to some moronic fame hoarding teenage Potter! You've shown me that you can't simply rise above the competition to become the best at that school; I've been tempted to pull you out since your third year! I'm disappointed in you Draco, you've failed me." Lucius Malfoy dug into his son's skin with heated words as Draco sat, arms crossed, in his father's leather client chair. _

_Lucius was pacing back and forth across the desk, arms poised behind his back and the fireplace shooting his shadow against the wall behind him. _

"_It's not my fault father! It's that stupid Harry Potter. He's gotten in good with Dumbledore and now whatever I do, whatever Professor Snape does," Lucius flinched almost unnoticeably. "Nothing, I can't get into good graces with that man. It's completely biased against me. I feel lucky the man even gave me the all holy right of prefect." Draco spat._

"_Excuses boy, you're making those stupid excuses again. Why can't you just beat Potter? What sort of weakling are you?"_

"_I'm not a weakling!" Draco stood up, pushing the chair back behind him, it falling over with a loud crash. _

_Back to the train_

Draco shivered in his sleep, a cold sweat covering his body. He hated his father deep down inside, if only he could admit it. The man was a complete idiot. An all around nitwit. He consistently put himself in harms way and practically plastered flyers across London of how he was a Death Eater. He should be happy he had the blessings of the Ministry. Or at least the Head of the Ministry.

Draco's dreams were wracked with the rage-inducing memories and nightmares so he could not hear when the door to his cabin was opened by an unsuspecting person. It took him finally until a case of panting drifted through the air and into his light sleep. He shook his head loose of it but it wouldn't go away. He opened his eyes and realized there was a silhouette against the wall he was facing. A… A female's silhouette? He blinked until he saw it turn slowly around.

Jumping out of his bed he grabbed the figure and turning it about he yelled out in his thick, sleep gritted voice, "What in bloody hell are you doing in here?"

It was Ginny Weasley. Draco could barely recognize her face from last year, she had changed a great deal, but the freckles and hair gave her way. For a moment, he could see a resemblance between her and the twins. He had almost admired the twins. They didn't care about authority. They were themselves whether they were appreciated or not. And they were.

It took him a moment to register her stuttering. Not knowing what to say he simply shoved her out the door, "You have no right to be in here you filthy weasel!"

As he shut the door he threw his back against it and began breathing raggedly through his teeth. He had no idea why he had reacted in such a manner.

Scratch that.

He knew why.

She had woken him out of one of the worst nightmares he had ever had and he was still jumpy. A big black shadow trying to suffocate you wasn't the best way to sleep. Once his breathing slowed he could hear her walk away and he felt all of a sudden very vulnerable. What if he had been scared? What if he had been crying? Wait, him? Cry? HA! But… he had been weak at that moment. And she saw it. Damn wench…

-

-

-

-

A Few Days Later

-

-

-

-

Draco sat down with Crabbe and Goyle at the tables watching the sorting take place. It was unbelievably dull watching all the younger snots being sorted into his house. He didn't quite think he was that bad whenever he was that age. He just knew he was better then everyone else.

And richer.

And smarter.

And cuter.

And stronger. Etc., etc.

He sighed and drove his elbow into the table cloth, lodging his chin inside his cold palm, glaring at the Gryffindor table. He was still sour about he and his father's… blunt conversation and wished his scowl could drive laser holes into Potter's head.

"Draco? What's wrong?" Crabbe asked with a chubby frown. Draco shooed him away casually and stood, stretching out his back. "Is it Potter again?"

Draco let out a haggled cough. "How'd you guess?" He cocked a thin eyebrow.

Crabbe let out a laugh and patted his friend on the back. "Cause you were staring over in that direction."

Draco sighed and he and Crabbe began to file out of the Great Hall, of course closely followed by Goyle and the gangly Theo Nott.

"I don't know what it is that makes him so great to everyone. If I could only get at one of his weaknesses and expose it to the world… that would be priceless." Draco barked.

Crabbe tapped a finger onto his chin as he looked around. He peered back into the Great Hall in time to see a small red headed girl throw her fork at Potter and he laugh at it, staring at her affectionately. Crabbe grinned and looked back to Draco.

Draco cocked his eyebrow once more. "What are you all smiley about, Crabbe?"

"What if you got that girl to like you?"

"What?"

"What if you got that one girl there," Crabbe pointed over in her direction. "To like you, cause Potter's obviously got a crush on her. Isn't that the girl who got caught up in the chamber of secrets?"

Upon closer inspection Draco saw that it, in fact, was Ginny Weasley. The one who had seen him weak. He frowned. That certainly wouldn't have been his first pick. He'd have first gone to Cho Chang or Parvati Patil. Of course, he was sure, neither of which would go for someone as classy as him. They had both already tried out Potter. At least Weasley had been there done that and gotten over it.

Which meant she was open for business.

Draco tapped his chin in the same fashion that Crabbe had done, pondering the thought. Once Goyle and Nott stumbled into the conversation and were filled in, they nodded in agreement. What a better way to get back at Potter then to steal his girl! It was perfect! There was just one problem.

She, Ginny, was a Gryffindor.

And he, Draco, was a Slytherin.

This meant a series of things:

1. They never saw each other. Well… rarely.

2. They were automatic enemies at birth. Or rather at sorting.

3. She was more around the "golden trio" then Draco and his comrades so she only heard the absolute worst about him.

4. Couldn't he do better then a _Gryffindor_?

He shook his head clear of these thoughts and looked back to his friends. "But that's absolutely nutty. Why would I want to waste my time on a Gryffindor _weasel_?" He meant this in the sense that if translated would be more like: "What would my father thought if he knew what I was doing?"

Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott exchanged a glance and turned back to Draco. In unison they all shrugged. It was a stranger moment for them that they all had the same reaction at the same time blah blah blah. That translated would mean: "How would he ever find out?"

Draco thought on the idea a little more. It was definitely intriguing. Especially if he were to get a Gryffindor to like him. Not only like him, hell, to fall in love with him? It was the most novel idea he had heard. "So glad I thought of it!" He exclaimed as a loud roar from the Great Hall announced that dinner was well over and the foyer the four were now standing in slowly became more crowded then Hogsmeade the week after Christmas. Draco and the rest made their way up the stairs, little did Draco notice (or care about) the small frown that quickly shown on Crabbe's features before he went back to his brutal normality.


	10. Why Ginny Doesn't Listen to Diana

Title: Why Ginny Doesn't Listen to Diana

Ginny yawned as she sat back in her bed, legs crossed in front of her, her favorite red and gold toe socks sticking out from beneath a very spirited Gryffindor blanket. Diana lay on her stomach on the floor flipping through magazines in her pink pajamas, her shoulder-length midnight black hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was munching happily on something her Muggle cousins called "string cheese" and found herself quite amused with it-periodically calling out "Look-it Gins! A different thickness!"

Ginny chewed on the inside of her lip as she found herself often to do whenever she was trying to concentrate on things. This habit came about, most likely, because of her twin brothers Fred and George. She swore her mother was two inches from committing them.

She looked down from her place on her bed and threw her blanket off of her body. "Diana, you want to go for a walk around?" She asked as her eyebrows rose in seriousness.

Diana looked up at her friend, a confused frown on her face. "Where? It's freezing, haven't you noticed?" Diana pointed to the window that already had ice forming around it.

Ginny shook her head with a smile. "I'm talking about around the castle. Just to get somewhere instead of here in our room where it's…" She paused for a moment and added almost in a whisper, "Quiet."

Diana blinked at her friend and looked down at herself. "In our PJ's?"

Ginny nodded with a grin plastered onto her convinced freckled face.

Diana rolled over and jumped up. "Alright, I'm always eager for a new idea. And you certainly are one for thinking of things I would certainly have never thought of."

"Only because you'd want to do it naked, Diana."

Diana grinned mischievously in return.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Ginny and Diana stepped out of the commons and through the fat lady portrait into the hallway, not without hearing a few questions from their housemates. They all thought that the two were crazy. Not to say that they all hadn't reached that conclusion prior to this one event.

They lazily walked down the staircase to another and was about to set their foot on the ground when the stair case shook. Ginny and Diana looked around confusedly thinking the castle might be under attack. There was a moment of pre-panic before they realized it was actually just the staircase changing again, with a gasp from Ginny and a whimper from Diana, the staircase alternated its route as it normally did, to a hallway across the room.

Once it stopped its movement Ginny and Diana quickly got off and looked around at their new surroundings. They had never been to this side of the castle; Diana saw that as an allowance to continue on. Ginny's eyes widened. "Diana! I don't think we're allowed to be here!" She whispered to her friend.

Diana cast a glance back to Ginny and shrugged. "It's not as if it was our fault Gins, if someone asks us we can say that we waited but the staircase wouldn't change back so we had to go looking for a teacher or something. Don't get your thong in a knot."

Ginny frowned. "I do not wear thongs, I wear boy-shorts."

Diana giggled and waved to dismiss the topic. "Whatever Gins, whatever."

The two made their way down the long corridor that was flanked by a series of doors. Some marked with names, others not at all. Finally they reached a staircase leading down. They had never seen a staircase as such in the castle. Ginny blinked at it. The staircase was squeezed into a wall and lit only by one torch it seemed.

Ginny shot a glance to her friend. "No." She said clearly.

Diana pouted. "I haven't even asked yet!"

"No."

"But..."

"No!"

Diana frowned and looked down at her bare feet. All of a sudden, as if she had been possessed, she lurched forward and onto the first few steps of the staircase. "Oh damn look at that, I fell, I guess we might as well go on anyway!"

Ginny gaped as her friend continued down until the steps spiraled. "Wait for me!" She exclaimed once her friend was engulfed by shadow. Ginny certainly didn't want to be alone in the hallway; she wasn't near as good of a liar as Diana was.

Ginny finally caught up with Diana halfway down and they set off moving further. "How far down do you think it goes?" Diana asked eyes wide with curiosity, though Ginny could barely tell in the dim light.

"Can we _not_ stick around to find out?"

Diana rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Oh Ginny you are such a coward, come on."

The staircase seemed to go on forever as the two Gryffindor girls made their way down and down, and down, and even more down until finally they hit a ground floor.

"Finally, I thought we were about to go deep sea diving." Diana huffed, wiping a layer of sweat from her forehead. Taking in their surroundings the girls fell silent.

They were in a hallway with walls draped in green silk embroidered with the Slytherin logo. Each door had a snake carved into the aged dark wood and the stones of the floor each had an "S" engraved into them.

Ginny let out a low whistle. "So, well, we know where all the money goes!" She clapped her hands together and with a false smile looked over to Diana who was still entranced by the scene. "And since we have learned something new today, why don't we march our little Gryffindor hineys back up those creepy steps and to that stupid changing staircase and back to our commons so we don't die." The last bit came out in a short peep.

Diana rolled her eyes and waved Ginny away. "Don't be a knob, it's all right. Come, at least let's find out what's behind some of these doors."

"No!" Ginny hissed, trying to call out anyone who might hear them. "Let's leave!"

"Three doors."

"None."

"Two and a half?"

"Half a door, Diana?"

"Alright then, two."

"No."

"One?"

Just as Ginny was beginning to protest some voices echoed through the corridor. Ginny's pinked cheeks paled and with a quick "Hide!" she latched onto Diana's arm and threw her into the room across the hall, closing the door behind them. "Okay, maybe we'll get lucky and they didn't even notice we exi…"

"Er, Ginny?"

Ginny froze. There was generally a very awkward and embarrassing moment following Diana's humble tone. To which, Ginny felt, this time was no exception. Slowly turning Ginny was met with the raised eyebrow of Draco Malfoy.

Whom was not properly dressed.

Or, in the same topic, dressed at all.

Actually he was covered. By a towel. That went down to his knees. But apparently was only covering the front. And small droplets of water were slowly gliding down his pectorals and abs.

Ginny felt the level of blush rise in her face.

Mach Blush One.

Two.

Three.

Four and half.

Six!

Ginny's eyes shot up to his face once more. With no words leaving her fear-parted lips, she stuck her finger out towards Diana whose lips were being tugged into a half grin from her terrified stare.

Seven seconds. That's how long Ginny had known Draco was there. And in that short period of time he had yet to call her any bad names, taunt her, or her family, nor compare her to the projects. Granted he was nude and this was as equally, and more so, humiliating to him.

"We're gonna leave now." Ginny yelped and zooming out of the room, Diana hanging on to Ginny's hand for dear life, they were back in the Gryffindor commons in under five minutes.


	11. Why Corners Are a Girls Worst Friend

((Well ice princess, you asked for it!))

Ginny looked over at Diana. "And what have we learned from this experience exactly?" Their chests were still rising and falling from the run back to the commons and Ginny's eyes were mere slits in her pinkened face. Diana was so NEVER going to live this down. N-E-V-E-R!

Diana blushed and grinned pitifully. "That Draco must be real big if he-"

"DIANA NO!"

"I'm just saying if he needs a whole towel…"

Ginny sobbed. Folding over on the bed she slammed her face into her palm. "Diana why can't you just be normal like everyone else?"

Diana grinned and pondering on this a moment shrugged. "I dunno, am I supposed to be normal Wheezy? I mean, wouldn't that make me boring?"

Ginny sighed. "Diana. I never want to see him again."

Diana nodded and began thinking up another one of her grand schemes. "Alright, how about this? From now on we make a vow to avoid him at all costs. Fair?" She held out her hand for a shake. This way she could hold Ginny to her word… which translated meant that she could tease Ginny if they ever stumbled upon him.

Ginny shook her friends hand and looked around. Everyone else was asleep and had barely noticed her outburst earlier. Rolling over in their beds, the girls eventually dosed off.

As Diana dreamt away in her own land, Ginny pulled the Gryffindor spirited covers up to her chin and stared out her window. The only thought that came to her was the site of Draco Malfoy before her, towel sopping wet from drying off and the water still dripping down his unbelievably toned muscles which glistened…

_Ginny stop drooling._

Ginny turned over so she wouldn't face-plant herself in her own drool, at this she also turned her pillow over. Okay, so slight attraction to Draco Malfoy-? Check.

Ginny felt a warmth rise in her cheeks as she pictured herself and Draco. And the bodies mashing together. Flesh on flesh.

_Bad Ginny. Bad._

-----------------------------------------------------

Shuffling her covers off of her, Ginny rolled over in her bed and landed on the floor with a disgruntled "OOMPF!" and groaned. "Why me...?" Muttering something else about fate and how it was always so cruel to her, Ginny made her way into the bathroom, before Diana, and was out before her friend was even up.

Walking over to her friend's bed she got a great idea. A slow tired smirk crawled across her features as she picked up her lip gloss from the bathroom counter and returned to Diana's side.

She left trails of pink, sparkly, strawberry flavored lip gloss along the girl's forehead and cheeks. That should be good for now. With a content smile, Ginny made her way from the girls' dorms to the commons and sat down in one of the big chairs. Today was Monday and she had finished all of her homework from the last week so she was clean. With a sigh she crossed her legs. She was slowly getting bored.

"GINNY MONKEY SCREWING WEASLEY!" The disgruntled voice of Diana floated down from their room to her place in the commons. Ginny smiled.

Ginny and Diana walked down the hallway to their next class. Well technically it was their break. That day Draco hadn't been invited into Potions. Ginny was almost a little sad but she didn't mourn too long, else she would have mourned her dignity at having another embarrassing moment happen to her. This time she and Diana would take special care to NOT go where Draco was going.

In doing so however, they inevitably ran into him three times before breakfast and twice on the way to first period.

"Alright, so where do we think he'll be going?" Diana pondered as they deliberated between two different hallways.

"How am I supposed to know, I don't have his schedule down." Ginny chewed on a licorice wand as she stood beside her.

"That's what we should've gotten! His schedule! That way we knew exactly where he was going and when!"

"Can't we just go back to the commons?"

"Oh Ginny, I've spent the past two days lounging about in the commons can't we go someplace new? Like the library, I haven't been there yet." Diana teased.

Ginny rolled her eyes and walked down the hallway to the right. There was no point really in taking the one to the left as it ended up turning into the one on the right anyhow. After a few seconds she heard Diana follow behind her.

"Or we can just pick one."

They meandered for a while. Yes meandered was a good word for what they were doing. Avoiding certain halls and dodging past rooms and corridors. Backs against the walls they would stick out their compact mirrors to see around sharp corners.

Alright so not only were they meandering they were making complete fools of themselves and were not void of strange looks from teachers or seventh years. Highly embarrassing.

"Diana, I think we're okay." Ginny insisted as she leaned against the stone wall outside the infirmary. "I doubt he's here."

Diana, eye squinted, finger tapping her chin thoughtfully, shook her head. "I don't think we should be so sure…" She trailed off.

"At the infirmary Diana? Honestly. I don't think the boy gets hurt that easily."

"He might be special."

Ginny gaped. Diana was losing it. Seriously.

"Diana I think I need to escort you back to the dorms."

"Ginny I think you need to take this more seriously."

Ginny nodded, lips pressed together and eyebrows raised. "Right, and lets do that heading in the direction of the commons shall we?"

And with a turn on her heel, Ginny made her way to the end of the corridor. Where she turned the corner.

And promptly ran into Draco.

Stomping her foot irritated into the ground she groaned. "Dammit why can't you just NOT be where we are?"

Draco, taken aback, felt his lip twitch. "ME? I've been avoiding you ALL DAMN DAY! Why are YOU following ME?"

Ginny blanched. "ME? I'm not following you I'm avoiding you!"

"Well you're not doing a very good job of it!"

"Neither are you apparently!"

They both paused and took into consideration their situation. Blinking Ginny turned to find the hall behind her empty. "Diana?" Turning back she found Draco looking as exhausted by this as she was. Blushing to the tips of her ears she sighed. She opened her mouth to say something but found it impossible to.

"Ginny?" Her attentions were torn away from being speechless to Draco. Who had called her by her first name.

"Ye-Yeah?" She stuttered. She almost kicked herself.

"I want to say something. But I don't want you to think badly of it."

Blinking she waited.

"I'm sorry for how I acted on the train. And how I acted in front of Snape. And for… about the past five years." He counted out on his fingers.

Ginny blinked.

"And I'd like to say…" He continued. "That I'd prefer we drop our enemy status. And become… well… mates."

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Not like that!" He corrected himself frantically. "I mean… like… chums, friends, pals, companions." He swallowed harshly.

Ginny raised her other eyebrow.

Draco stood there. Not knowing what to do.

Ginny blinked.

Draco blinked.

Ginny blinked.

Draco held his breath.

Ginny blinked. "Okay sure."


	12. Resolution, Mate

Chapter Twelve: Resolution, Mate

"Mates."

"Yes."

"Mates."

"… Yes. Mates."

"… Mates."

"Dammit, Diana, yes I said mates! If I said yes the first ten times to 'mates' why the bloody hell would the eleventh time be any different?"

"I'm sorry Ginny, I just… and you're sure he meant friendly mates? Not like…"

"Diana you pervert… really, come on now." Ginny rolled her eyes at the girl as they lay on Ginny's bed. Diana was pressed up against the headboard, one hand painting shimmering toe-nail polish onto Ginny's toenails as Ginny was pressed against the footboard, doing the same to one of Diana's feet. It had previously crossed their minds how completely stereotypical this must have looked but they squashed it with a quick joke and some sweets.

"I'm just saying Gins, if he wants to mate you, you'll need the proper-" Before Diana could continue her sentence she burst out with laughter as Ginny began an onslaught of tickling on the poor girl's foot.

Yelling over the noise Ginny retorted, "Say something now Diana! Come on then! Spit it out!"

After some time of screaming and Ginny getting kicked in the stomach, Diana having toenail polish smeared across the bottom of her foot, the girls calmed and settled to a mild sharing of mindless banter and girl talk.

After deciding that Ron was completing stupid for liking the Chudley Canons, they soon fell to sleep in their beds, lights off and curtains pulled back from their windows to let the moonlight filter in over their faces and still forms.

During this time of peaceful silence, the youngest Weasley, deep in her dream and obviously wrought with some sort of struggle, flailed about in her bed so much she fell to the ground with a thud.

Diana her bunk mate, not hearing this remained asleep, hand tossed precariously over her head, leg hanging off the side of the bed frame, sheets thrown askew as if a tornado had flown by.

Ginny, waking when her body met the cold chill of the wooden floors and the harshness of her land-shook herself awake. Looking around the room and finding her self the only one aware of her embarrassing flight, she stood and placed her bed clothes in their rightful place imitating a made bed. Checking the window to see if she might decipher the time by the position of the moon or some sign of light, the furthest she could tell was that the moon was up, the stars were out, and she was now perfectly awake.

Walking to gather up her clothes she decided her pajamas were appropriate attire for the time and made her way out into the commons and into the corridors outside. In the nighttime the corridors were lit by the torches against the walls, each lighting when she turned down to their way. She didn't quite know what it was she felt like doing in the middle of the night, wandering around the castle as she had finally realized she was doing, but she knew she was going to either head in one way or the other and to her it seemed as if they would yield the same results.

Taking off down one particular corridor, down a flight of stairs and onto the story below (in her sleep haze that persisted despite her striking awakening she could not comprehend where she quite was) she turned and found herself facing the Headmaster of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Blushing, she nodded her head in respect to the elderly man. His beard had grown so long now that in her small position to him it seemed as if it brushed the ground as he stood before her. He was dressed in a robe, cream in color and left open to reveal a sleeping outfit, white and comfortable looking. His smile was spread across his lips in a warm fashion, not as if in a malicious pleasure in catching a student out of bed. In one hand he held a cup of what smelt like hot tea and in the other a thin stack of papers. His eyes, sparkling even behind his glasses took in the image of the girl before him. "I shall assume that your head of house or prefect allowed you to wander the halls of our school, Ms. Weasley?"

His question was not meant to trap her, but was merely the way in which he communicated with the students and none felt threatened by this. Smiling, eyes on the stones before her then flitting up to his face to catch him chuckle, she grasped her hands behind her back and pointed her toe into the ground. "I suppose you might say that could be true." She laughed herself and in moments found herself sitting in a comfortable chair across from him in his office sipping down a mug of green tea and eating sweet lemon drops from an antique dish with spiraling decorations around its exterior.

"Professor?" She asked, the raising of his eyebrows and smile on his face indicated he was listening, "Have you ever been put in an awkward situation? Not as if you were in trouble per say, not anything with something who was higher than you or below you but more so on your level. It's not as if it's uncomfortable outside the fact that's it's awkward and such?"

Dumbledore, considering the question for a moment, set down his quail and removed his glasses the sit on his desk. Behind him Fawkes was curled up on his stand in a sleep. Folding his hands against his lap, fingers laced, he smiled wider. "I do believe that in the years you experience between the young age of maturity and the older age of independence we are all met with those awkward situations. I in fact remember a time when my friend Charles, he was a headmaster for another school, a good man and very wise but terrible at the game of chess, we had both taught together on these traveling lectures over the summer term. One day I found out that the whole time we were together I had been calling him by the wrong last name. It wasn't as if it were too far off, his name was Shimmington and I was calling him Chillingtown, but it was a peculiar situation to know that for multiple weeks I had addressed him in front of others as such and embarrassed myself greatly, although now we share a good laugh between us with it."

His eyes glazed over as if he had floated back into time to grasp with his heart the memory before the shimmering orbs cleared once more and the present time continued in the office which seemed so far separated from reality.

"I think I'm sort of having the same problem. But in a little bit of a different way." Ginny, not meaning to but chewing on her lip as she did in all situations in which she felt nervous, was staring down at her knee as her foot was propped up on the edge of the chair on which she sat, arms wrapped about it.

"I do believe, Ms. Weasley, that you have something on your mind you would like to share?" He offered his ears and soon Ginny delved into her details of Draco Malfoy.

"It started on the train… well I suppose it really started my first year. As you know, me being a Gryffindor and poor, he teased me a lot and we never got along very well at all." Dumbledore nodded in understanding and she continued. "Well since then of course I've never had much trust in him. It was just unheard of. He was too much of a jerk." Dumbledore let out a chuckle and smiling, motioned for her to continue. "Well on the train ride here I accidentally walked into his room that he was sleeping in cause I thought it was empty. I mean I knocked and all but I didn't hear anything. Well he's furious and shoves me out, yelling and such. But it wasn't the regular Draco. Something was different." She paused to regain control of her own thoughts. She was now beginning to wonder if she could figure out the mystery behind his actions while speaking to Dumbledore.

"Well then we have Potions together a few days cause Snape called him to help and he says this one comment…" She trailed off, not wanting to say it as it was really none of the Dumbledore's need to hear it… "Well I forgot what it was but it made me feel awfully awkward. It was almost a compliment I suppose. But it was random. And then he was mean again. And then in the corridor I stayed in late at the library and ran into him and Pansy and she wanted to keep me from getting in by curfew and he told her just to leave me alone. Then I was in the Great Hall alone and he walks up and starts talking to me all chummy like and of course I'm looking for Crabbe and Goyle to be laughing in a corner somewhere… but I could never find them.

"And then, ontop of all that, Diana and I make this pact to avoid him-childish I know but I was desperate- and we're running around the school trying NOT to run into him and we bump into him everywhere! Finally I get so frustrated I stomp my foot and yell and he yells and we both yell and then we're standing there alone in the hallway and he apologizes for everything terrible he's ever done to me and it threw me off and now I'm just so confused because he asked if we could be mates. Naturally of course I thought he meant… well…" A red tint covered her cheeks as she saw the red apples of Dumbledore's poke out, his smile so large it could not be contained. He was obviously very amused.

"Well he meant friends at any means. And now things are just very… strange."

Taking a breath she watched the man as he took in the whole story, ran it through in his brain, most likely laughed at it, then sat forward in his chair. "I do believe Ms. Weasley, that Draco is a young man who is realizing that he does in fact of a kindness in him as we all do and are all born with. His father's family and so forth have for many years been strict on the company they keep and it is no surprise that he should follow the lesson set forth for him. It is only natural. However, in this environment, he may see that it might not be at all a bad decision to converse with those of usually unacceptable sorts. I say see this as an opportunity, be kind, be open-minded, and be willing to find the goodness that exists in Draco's heart for it is there." The wisdom which spilled forth from Dumbledore's mouth startled Ginny at first but after a while of sinking in she decided to take the advice and was on her way to the commons, two hours having passed by like nothing and the sun beginning to crawl over the hills of the grounds.

She realized that she could be civil to Malfoy and not think twice about it. She could have common conversation with him, not stutter in his presence, not despise each breath he made in front of his cruel friends, and not be considered quite friends with him. She decided acquaintances would far better suite their situation and so as she made her way back to her bed to crawl beneath its warmth for the remaining time she had she made a resolution to do so- she would be civil to Draco Malfoy in any way she could and only hoped that it was returned from him.

With that problem resolved, her mind settled and her body eager for that last two or so hours of sleep, she crawled beneath those warm sheets and promptly fell asleep.

((AN: So I tried a new writing style… Like it any? And as if you couldn't tell I DID NOT KILL DUMBLEDORE! ))


	13. “Ginny Weasley, death by insanity”

Chapter Thirteen: "Ginny Weasley, death by insanity."

: So sorry that it took me so long to get this up but my muse has returned and-can you believe it- I did all this in an hour!

Ginny stretched her arms above her head. She had just had Potions. With Snape. She grimaced. That man was so strange. She knew for a fact that he practically worshipped the ground she walked on. Alright, well not so much. But he was thankful that someone outside of Hermione who had annoyed the man with her frequent outbursts absorbed information about his subject.

"Gins? Can you make any sense of it?" Annabella asked as she walked down the hall with her friend. Ginny shook her head.

"Nope. I have no idea where he got the idea to do that." She sighed. She was so confused. She was sure that Snape had grown to like her a little. At least be able to stand her.

"Ginny! Oh, I just heard! What did you do?" Hermione called down the corridor, running to Ginny's side and running her arm through Ginny's, a worried and perplexed look in her eyes and written all over her features.

Ginny shrugged, just as perplexed as Hermione. "I don't know. I just yawned a little and he asked me if I thought it was boring and I said of course not and he told me not to be smart with him and gave me a week's detention."

Ginny's eyes gave away her distress. It was all too awkward. Strange. Disturbing even. Why would Snape give her a detention for that? He had given her a few over the years, yes, but there was some reason behind that. Like the time she had drawn that cartoon about him being swallowed by a monster blob and then being digested.

Hermione pouted and whimpered a little. Her protégé had been given a detention. Something that Ginny had avoided for the year. And worse yet, Snape was going to put in a referral that because of her extensive punishment she not be allowed to Hogsmeade.

She hated Snape.

"Well Gins, I'm off… Good luck trying to figure it out!" Anna called as she parted down another hall and darted off to her next class. Ginny waved absentmindedly to her friend and finally discovered that in all her thinking Hermione had departed as well and she was now at the commons.

Sighing, she set her things down for her break period. She was happy she was allotted so many of those a week. It really did something for her to be able to relax for thirty minutes to an hour a day. Except, for some reason, she really didn't feel like being inside for break.

Walking over to a window she ducked her head next to the glass where the frost from the chilly weather outside was blurring her vision. Deciding it best to grab a coat, she walked into her room, proceeded to take one, and walked back out.

Then stopped.

And turned around.

And went back in.

And blinked.

And turned back around.

And left.

"Ginny! Please don't tell anyone!"

"Trust me, I won't."

"Gins, promise!"

"I PROMISE! I don't particularly want to relive that right now." Ginny rubbed her eyes.

To be quite honest, the visual she had been provided of Diana and Ron in the throws of half clothed passion wasn't something she wanted to relive EVER.

Diana half frowned half smiled. "Are you mad 'cause I didn't tell you?"

"No-Wait-This happened before?" Ginny's voice raised in pitch as she sat on the couch in the commons. She guessed Ron was busy putting his shirt and pants back on as Diana sat before her, tank top and shorts on.

"Not… THIS… Per say, but us… Well see, we didn't want to tell anyone because we knew it would be…well... weird."

"It's weird 'cause I walked IN on it!"

"Well that too, but we thought you were going to be running around with Anna or something."

"She has class." Ginny sighed and stood. "Listen, I'm going for a walk, I'm taking my coat… next time... Post a note on the door saying that the icicles have fallen off the house or something weird of that nature- I'll get the message." Ginny shook her head, still disgusted by the images she had floating around her head, and left. Quickly.

As she pushed the doors to Hogwarts open and stepped into the small courtyard that would eventually lead to Hagrid's Hut she took in a deep breath of the chilly and sharp air. For a moment there she actually forgot what it was she just saw and peace came over her.

She looked around and seeing a few people already littering the good corners she walked on towards Hagrid's, thinking maybe she could stop by for some tea or to get beat in the head with a blunt object which would cause short term memory loss or some sort of amnesia.

She got halfway down a hill before stepping in a small hole and tripping slightly, falling onto her knees. Her ankle throbbed. "UGH!" She yelled in frustration, the weight of that day falling onto her all at once, she fell forwards and turned onto her back, looking up at the sky. "WHY-FOR MERLIN'S SAKE-ME?" She asked as if to the clouds floating above her.

"Abusing illegal potions, Weasley?" Draco's face came into view above her, his hair fallen from its normal place and his brow sweating.

Ginny groaned and closed her eyes. "And now my day just got SO much better."

Draco grinned. "What? I thought we were square."

"Oh, yeah." Ginny nodded. "We're square. Like a peg. Like a picture. Like a-"

"Square?" Draco asked, seating himself beside her.

Ginny pushed herself up from where she was and looked ahead to the woods. "Yeah. A square." She paused for a moment, wind blowing her hair around a little, her face set in a frown. "I saw my brother half naked and making out with my best friend. I have a week's detention with Snape. I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life." She turned to look at Draco. "I want to die."

He looked back at her for a minute. Inspected her serious gaze. He noticed the shapes her freckles made across her nose and cheeks and how her cheeks were red from the fall. How her red hair had darkened over the years by a small degree and deepened. How it brought out her eyes. "Well, those are all really bad reasons."

"Yeah? Well what kind of reasons could you have, Malfoy?" She grunted as she stood, dusting her legs off. "Your life is perfect, you're rich, a widely accepted pureblood, powerful and almost out of this school to start a life which your father won't ever let you fail aaah!" She had meant to say "at" but she put too much weight on her ankle and toppled over so that she landed again on her front. "DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!" She cursed, throwing her arms over her head, forehead pressed into a leaf.

Her fuming resided after a while and soon enough for her to hear Draco laughing. "You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." He smiled and stood. She watched him as he walked over to her and rolling her over on the ground, wrapped one arm beneath her knees and the other her back and lifted her up. "You probably sprained your ankle earlier."

"You saw that?"

"I was in the area."

Ginny blushed and realized that her arms were comfortably settled around his neck. Her arms twitched as she resisted the urge to kick herself away from him and run for cover, but instead she leaned her head back. "Ginny Weasley, death by insanity." She muttered as she watched the sky disappear, turning into the ceiling of Hogwarts with Draco's laughter echoing in her ears.

-

Ginny Weasley had her ankle wrapped and when she stepped outside the infirmary doors Draco Malfoy was waiting there for her. He offered her his arm. She reminded him that he would be the death of her. He chuckled lightly stating that he had that affect on women.

Ginny Weasley then hit Draco Malfoy. Hard.


	14. Literature as a turnon?

Two grey eyes settled over the furniture in the room. Draco Malfoy's silvery blonde hair had fallen from its place and shaded his features. His jaw had jutted out more over the years as he matured and now covered with stubble he was a bit striking… almost as if he was not meant to have that stubble. As if he was always meant to be cleanly shaven and such. He seemed so… rebellious…

He sat with his back against the headboard of his bed, his legs stretched out and crossed in front of him. He was donned with a slightly form-fitting grey shirt and black sweat pants and his white socks. He frowned. This Ginny Weasley character was beginning to confuse him.

It was his understanding that Potter had shown quite the interest in the girl and if Draco could get her interested in him instead… well then… that could be magnificent! Not only would Potter have his number one fan taken from him and the apple of his eye at that, but Weasel King himself would most certainly throw a fit and on top of that, that Granger girl might get so frustrated her hair might explode.

He chuckled. The idea of riling up the golden trio was entertaining and delicious. The only problem was that Weasley was not responding the way she should to his calls. He might have to try a much more different approach if he were to get through to her. Yes, that's it. He would change his plans. Throw on more of a charm. Maybe do something that would catch her eye more than just flirting maliciously.

He pondered… But how does one go about doing that?

-

Ginny Weasley woke bright and early. Mainly because she had to, not by choice.

Groaning, she rolled over in bed and looked out the window beside it. Snape had given her a whole week's detention and those that she had to perform on the weekends were to be done bright and early at eight o'clock. She had to run around the castle and do odd and end tasks for him. How exciting.

Bemoaning what was to become of her, she rolled out of bed and promptly stepped on the sharp end of one of Diana's shoes, ran her shoulder into the bathroom doorway, cleverly mixed her shampoo and soap, and put her underwear on backwards and was out of the portrait before she noticed it, darted back to the bathroom, changed, and was sprinting down the hall barely making it to the Potions room at seven fifty-five.

"Weasley you're late." Snape was poised ever so creepily against a bookshelf, his back to the doorway, one book open and in his hand. His black hair- ever so greasy, his black cloak- every so… cloak-y, he was a sight to fear.

"Professor? It's only seven fifty-five." Ginny, out of breath, watched as the man turned to stare her in the eyes. She had committed a sin, questioning him like that.

Looking up at the clock in his room it rang true to her word. But with a flick of his wand the minute hand turned ten minutes forward.

"You're late. Now, you are to unload this book shelf and carry each book to the spare classroom on the third floor. We're getting some holes filled in the walls and Professor Dumbledore felt your lives were too important to risk should the ceiling cave in."

Ginny's eyes wandered to the case she was to haul off to the third floor from where she was, the basement practically. It was eight feet tall and five feet long filled side to side with thick and daunting texts. There must have been two hundred books. Nodding to Snape who had already turned his back once more, she slipped a single text off the shelf that looked of relative moderate size.

She nearly dropped to the floor with its weight. Blinking herself out of shock, she lifted it up and rested it on a desk.

"Oh and Weasley," She turned to Snape who had already begun crossing the threshold to his office. "This'll need to be done promptly as they are coming in at ten. Also, without magic. These texts are sensitive to any residue that could come from that." And with that the door to his office was shut and she knew the discussion was over.

Looking back to the bookshelf she was determined not to be daunted. Knowing the professor would be able to sense if she used magic, she knew better not to, and began to first unload all the books from the shelf first. This took her under half an hour if she doubled or tripled up.

By the time she had completed that task she had shed her first layer of clothing (a Gryffindor spirited sweater) and was wearing a dark red button up shirt over an equally dark red tank top. Her pants were something she had gotten from her father to work in… something called _jeans_ that seemed useful in dirty situations and were comfortable and form fitting which dropped down to two black sandals.

Filling her arms with three at a time she began her trek across the castle, as the room was not only four flights of stairs up, but across the school entirely. By the time she had made four or five trips she had begun to heat up and shed her button up shirt.

Now with her seventh (or was it sixth… or eighth possibly) load she turned the corner to the room and walked up the long tunnel-esque staircase to the first floor where she made a left down the hall to the staircase to take her to the third floor. Making it there she turned and began her now familiar route to the other side of the castle.

Turning a corner she was abruptly stopped by someone throwing their arms around her. "Weasley…" A silky voice behind her said.

Oh Merlin, not now… She thought to herself, head down.

"Now what are you doing wandering the halls carrying such heavy books?" Draco turned to be in front of her, hands on her hips as he looked down into her slightly annoyed gaze.

"Malfoy, I really don't have the time for this."

"Time for what? A friendly chat? I thought we were mates, agreed?"

"Agreed but my other _mates_ don't fondle my hips while I'm working." With that she cut around him and continued on.

"Fondle? FONDLE? I was not FONDLING you Weasley; I was merely stabilizing your position under such weight." With that he removed the books from her hands. "Where to be this package destined?"

Blinking, Ginny watched him. This was not the Draco Malfoy she knew. This was far from that. She watched him again for a moment. There was something in his eye, something mischievous and devious and anything else ending in –ious she could think of that would define what that look was… in short, he was up to something.

But she would not feel at all wrong about abusing his offer. "To the temporary Potions room on the third floor. And if you really want to be a mate about it, you'll help me with the rest of the ones I've got to get up there. I've got about a hundred and fifty left and I've only got until ten."

Just as she spoke the time the clock chimed out nine o'clock. "Shit!" She exclaimed as she smacked her forehead. "I've only done about fifty in an hour? I'll never get done…" She moaned, grabbed the books from Draco, and huffed on down the hallway.

Draco, watching her, was thoroughly convinced he had no idea what she was talking about, but this was the perfect excuse to be chivalrous.

Running up alongside her, he took the books from her. "I'll take these. I know the room you speak of. You go back and start more. I'll just leave these in the room and we'll just go back and forth making trips. We should be done by the time you need to be done."

Ginny looked at him a moment. Unsure. Confused. Utterly entranced by his gorgeous, rebellious stubble. "Alright, I trust you." And with that she turned down the hall and began to run. Draco watched a moment as her fiery red hair flipped back and forth in its ponytail hold and for a second he realized how nice her figure looked in motion.

For a second his thoughts turned a little naughty until she turned the corner and he could regain composure.

"Damn Weasley."

Back and forth they went until finally Ginny arrived at the room with the last batch, two books the size of platters. Setting them into the shelves that had been brought in earlier in the week (by none other than herself), she looked at her and Draco's fine work. "Well then, that worked out nicely."

Draco, short of breath himself as he made a mental note to exercise more nodded. "That we did. Hell, I want you on my team."

Ginny smiled as she looked at the books and said almost absentmindedly, "Yeah, so does everyone else."

With a laugh she fell onto one of the desktops in rapturous relaxation. Her feet throbbed with the stress she had put them through and was thankful that when she went to retrieve the last two books Snape had told her that this would be all for today as the room would be closed to all students for the remainder of the weekend.

She didn't know if that meant she didn't have detention the next day or not. But she wasn't going to give him the chance to say yes and so just nodded in acknowledgement and moved out of the room as quickly and quietly as she could.

"Thank you Draco." She said, her voice clear as it cut across the silent room. Draco who was posted against the wall across from where she now sat looked up. She was looking at him with an equating look. He could tell she was somehow trying to evaluate him. Read him. He almost laughed at the thought. "Thank you for helping me today. I really appreciate it you know." She dipped her head so her chin touched her chest.

She couldn't read him. Not yet. There was still something blocking him off from her and she couldn't define it. She couldn't place it. For some reason she felt the room shift and when she looked up she found Draco mere inches away from her. Her eyes widened before him.

His expression was solemn and almost thoughtful as he looked down at her. Her cheeks were blushed with heat and her skin was pale like a china dolls. His as well was pale, but lightly freckled across his cheeks and, as Ginny could only guess, his shoulders from all the Quidditch practice, as she was freckled in the same manner by not only genes, but practice as well.

She was startled into silence as she watched as if in slow motion, his hand raise up to tuck a curl of vibrant red hair, like a tendril of heat and electricity and light bunched up and straightened and then wrapped around something to create the curl, behind her ear. He watched the way it readjusted itself after the pressure of his hand left and noticed that he had left his hand lingering on her knee.

Slowly his eyes moved back to hers and she had never seen them so alive. Instead of the chilly icy silver she had been accustomed to, these had taken on an almost liquid, glimmering form of mercury with a hint of blue. She gasped as she inhaled and couldn't help but hold her breath as she waited for his next move.

By this time Draco was far too drawn to the innocence in front of him to stop himself from doing anything, especially as he was unaware quite what it was he was doing. He was basing his actions off of instinct, off of her reactions and the feel of the mood. It was so unscripted and unfamiliar and uncomfortable for him but so exciting at the same time that his hard pounded like a horse race in his chest.

His hand dropped to her chin where he held it and slowly made his way towards her, hand moving up to her side to pull her back straighter as his lips met hers in a slow but powerful connection that could best be described as two waves crashing on one another and then receding.

As he pulled back he could taste the toothpaste she used and could even remember the texture and smoothness of her plump lips. Wanting more, he closed his eyes as she closed hers and spread his lips to meet hers once more.

Ginny, releasing all inhibitions at this point and let one of her hands curve around his neck to better position herself. He moved closer, in-between her legs, and pressed his warm body against hers. He could feel the curves of her body conform to the flatness of his and felt the urge to let his hand find the dips and grooves and mounds that made up her figure.

Restraining himself, he let his hand move to her lower back and slid her closer to him. For a few more moments they were entangled by pure passion until at last they parted for sake of cooling off. As Ginny's eyelids revealed her honey brown eyes Draco felt his knees weaken slightly.

He saw her analyze the situation, saw her cheeks go red with either embarrassment or being flattered, but knew which one when she quickly jumped to her feet.

"I…I…I'm sorry… I'm… gonna go." And with that she was gone from the room leaving Draco with the lingering memories of how she felt against him and how much he hated how right her lips matched up with his.


End file.
